Intertwined
by AThousandStars
Summary: Bella's hybrid sister is unable to control her bloodlust, leaving a trail of humans in her path. Bella is finding it hard to cope. They run into the Cullen's who are eager to help them. Can Bella put aside her prejudices to accept their help? Love, tears, and drama are all assured along the way. AU
1. Chapter 1: Bloodlust

Gah! I'm nervous about posting this! First, thank you to my beta **TheTinyDancer**! She has long put up with me - I can't thank her enough, she is amazing! Second, thank you to Project Team Beta for lending me **Lost in a musical daydream** and **LoveLeVampyre **– I loved the feedback and corrections!

Lastly, I own nothing Twilight – Ms. Meyer does!

Chapter One

Bloodlust

It was pitch black. I couldn't see my own hand as I held it out to guide me. Teetering forward a little more into the house, I hovered in what I thought was a doorway.

"Zoe?" I called out quietly. "Zo Zo?"

There was no answer. I frowned.

"Zoe, come out now," I said with a bit more authority. A pool of light spilled into the room as a second door was pushed open, illuminating the horror scene before me. I gasped, my breaths ragged.

Sprawled on the ground were two bodies, or at least what was left of them. They were scarcely identifiable as humans; their remains had been brutally attacked, hacked and bitten. It was gruesome, like a horror film. Bile rose to my throat.

My eyes cast from the bloodbath to across the room, toward the second doorway opposite me. Biting my lip furiously, so as not to make the horrified sound that was about to escape my lips, I tried to compose myself.

"It's all right, sweetheart," I cooed.

My little sister cast her eyes down, her fists curled in balls at her side.

"It was an accident," she whispered.

"I know," I said. "I'll take care of it. Don't worry." We played the same song and dance every time; it was a well rehearsed routine. "Go wait outside, okay? I'll try and be quick; then we can get you washed up."

The beam of light cast over the room disappeared as the second door closed again. Before I could blink, my sister was at my side. I could feel her warm hands over mine, the sticky wetness of the blood from her dripping fingers squelching into my own.

"I'm sorry," her tiny voice whispered from the darkness.

"I know," I replied. "Get back in the car. I will fix this."

The warmth left my hand, and within seconds I heard the front door slam. Once alone, I took a breath for myself.

_It's okay,_ I told myself. _This will be the last time…_

Wiping my bloody hand down my pants, I stretched out my other and felt along the wall. I flipped on the switch and lit up the hallway. It was a dingy place, not much of a home. I could smell the must and dampness, but it barely covered the smell that was waiting for me in the living room.

After pacing the small hallway for a few minutes, I took another breath and headed back outside into the stiff, cold air.

As soon as I stepped out onto the porch, I vomited violently. My throat was on fire by the time I had finished. Once the nausea had subsided, I straightened up, wiping my mouth.

As I sidestepped the mess, I heard the car door open.

"Stay inside," I ordered, then softened my tone. "Please."

It wasn't her fault. It really wasn't.

The cold air stung my face as I walked down the porch steps. I could feel Zoe's eyes on me as I opened the trunk of the car, but ignored her stare as I lifted out the can of gasoline with a firm grip.

X-x-X

The smoke was noticeable through the forest by the time we reached our cabin. Once we were inside, I could hear the blare of the fire trucks wailing in the distance. Before long there would be a report of two dead bodies, but we'd be long gone before they could identify the remains.

"Bella?" Zoe murmured as I tucked her into her bed. All traces of what had happened earlier had been washed off from her long soak in the bath.

Zoe resembled me so much. It was like looking into a mirror, except a much younger version; snow white skin, with dark hair tumbling down her back. The only difference was that her eyes were a few shades lighter than mine, and she had a pinch of rose in her cheeks, unlike me.

And unlike me, she had a strong bloodlust that she was unable to control, even though she was still half human.

"Hmm?" I smiled as I tucked strands of her hair off her face and behind her ears.

"Do you think God's real?" Zoe's bright eyes were tinged with sadness.

"I'm not sure, sweetheart. Try to get some sleep; we're back on the road again tomorrow at first light."

"I don't think God's real," Zoe said. "He wouldn't have made me like this if he was."

"Don't say that, Zo," I whispered. My heart felt like lead. For the hundredth time, I wished I could take her pain away.

"I'm a bad person," she said quietly before she turned her back to me and went still.

Leaning into to her, my lips brushed her warm cheek.

"You're my sister and I don't care what you are or what you have done. I love you and nothing will change that." Pulling back I sighed softly. "Good night, sweetheart. I'll see you in the morning."

With no reply, I got off the bed and tiptoed across the small room. Leaving the bedside lamp on, I closed the door half way just as I heard Zoe reply.

"I love you, too," she whispered. "To the moon and back!"

Smiling a little, I crept down the hall and sank to the floor outside the bedroom next to Zoe's. Pulling my knees close to my chest, I lay my head against them and closed my eyes. My smile was fading fast as the nights events played out through my head over and over. While I was cleaning up after her I was genuinely fine, but all my worries swarmed back into my mind.

It was all spiraling out of control. They weren't her first kills, and it probably wouldn't be her last. It was entirely my fault; that much I knew. I hadn't realized Zoe was stealing the blood supply that I had managed to obtain. We had a deal: three a day with each meal. She was allowed more if she asked me first. Of course I wouldn't have deprived her of the blood that she craved so badly.

A donated supply was far better than an unwilling one.

When I realized there were no blood bags left, it was too late. Two more deaths were on my conscience as a result of my utter lack of attention to keep an eye on my sister.

The guilt swarming inside me was getting too much. I needed to take better care of the situation.

We needed more blood.

-x-x-

When I checked on Zoe after an hour, she was sound asleep. I kissed her forehead and tucked her favorite stuffed elephant, Rory, into her chest before quietly leaving her room. I grabbed my car keys and crept out of the cabin.

It was a cloudless night, the stars so bright and beautiful that I couldn't help the smile that stretched across my face. The prettiest sight, for me, was the night sky. It was a bonus if the moon was full. That night, though, it was only half crescent, but still as beautiful, like a spotlight over the log cabin.

The night creatures were quieter than usual, but I suspected the fire a few miles through the forest was the explanation for that.

With that as a reminder, I sighed as I unlocked the car. I didn't like to leave Zoe, but I needed to do this on my own.

When we arrived at the cabin over a week ago, I mapped out the hospital in case of emergencies like this, so I knew I wouldn't have to drive far. My only problem was that it was a small town, which meant a smaller hospital and a bigger chance of being noticed. It would have been easier for Zoe, who was smaller and much faster, to help, but there was no way I was going to risk having her anywhere near a hospital.

As I opened the car door, something felt wrong. An uneasy feeling crept through me like ice cold water tricking down my back. Something was watching me from the trees. I could feel unseen eyes on my back.

I was too scared to turn around. I could feel my pulse beating in my neck. Run, I was dead. Do nothing, I was dead. I was defenseless.

"Humans aren't normally that perceptive," a soothing voice said. I didn't dare move. My heart rocketed.

"I've never quite been a normal human," I whispered. My voice was steadier than I'd anticipated. She wasn't the first vampire to creep up on me. Silent as they may be, I seemed to develop a sixth sense when they were around.

The woman behind me was closer now. She laughed. She was genuinely amused.

"Oh, I can see that." A pale reflection shone in the car window. With the brightness of the moon, I could see her eyes glaring at me.

A shiver ran through me as we locked gazes.

A haunting memory from the past burned my brain, but I didn't lose composure. They fed on fear.

"What is she?" the woman asked. Her curiosity was clear as a bell.

"I think you can work it out," I said, my voice hardening.

"Oh, yes," she agreed. "I watched from afar as the thirst for blood overcame her. Yet…her heart beats."

Her voice went up an octave higher and there was a moment of silence before she voiced the answer to the riddle she'd been intrigued by, as though she hadn't known all along.

"Half vampire…half human."

"Excellent observation skills," I said sarcastically. It was stupid, but I always did have trouble biting my tongue.

The woman laughed. The sound tinkered out into the still night.

"She isn't your daughter, or you'd probably be dead. Sister, perhaps?"

I didn't answer, pressing my lips together defiantly.

"Sister it is then. How old is she?" the vampire went on while I remained silent."Age is just a number, I suppose. What a curious creature. Who would have thought…a hybrid vampire?"

"You're not taking her!" My fear wasn't that Zoe's nature would be suspected by humans, but by the vampires. They only had to kill me, the mere human, and she would be alone; free for the taking.

"I don't intend to," the woman said. "I was simply passing through when I saw your beautiful little sister suck the life out of those hunters. My curiosity got the better of me."

"Well, now you know what she is, you can leave."

"Calm down, little human. I just thought you would like this gift before I moved on." A cool hand touched my shoulder and I flinched as if it was made of electricity.

The hand left my shoulder instantly, and by my feet the woman placed a blue cooler. "Blood bags."

My heart was in my throat as I processed what she was saying.

"Why?"

I couldn't manage a fuller sentence. The scarlet eyes met mine in the window once more.

"Think of it as a kind gesture," she said sweetly.

"Bullshit," I spat, finding my voice again in anger. "If you want to kill me then go ahead. But my sister will never go with you. Ever! And I certainly don't need your help!"

Before I could pick up the cooler to shove it back in her face, my body was slammed into the hood of the car. The vampire pressed into me with a firm grip over my neck.

"Don't be ungrateful, you little bitch," she snarled at me. All the sweetness had disappeared from her voice in an instant. I didn't have time to be scared as she pushed her weight into me. Her demon eyes narrowed with a calculating look. This must be how victims felt before they had their life sucked out of them.

"Who is her father?" she asked, her voice low and fierce.

"I don't know," I stammered. The hold over my neck tightened. The pain was almost unbearable and my lungs were on fire at the lack of air.

"I…don't…_know_!" My eyes watered as I tried to pry her off me to no avail. My senses were dulling as her hold tightened. I felt like a mouse getting crushed by a boa constrictor.

Seeming to know that she was going to kill me before I could answer, the woman's grip loosened. Gasping for breath, I tried to struggle away from her. Letting me up even more, I massaged my neck. There was no point in running. I knew how fast those things could run. I would be dead in five seconds flat.

"You must know!"

Something caught the woman's attention. Her head tilted towards the trees as if someone had called her name. Her gaze returned to mine, all the anger spilled away from her face. She nodded to the blood.

"My parting gift," she said before she trailed off into the trees. I watched as the quiver of her red hair disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

_A/N - Zoe is not going to age like the hybrid vampires do in the book. I am sorry for changing it, but my way works better for the story. I will let you guys know what I've changed later on in future chapters._

_Also, Victoria will pop-up again, which is why she appeared seemingly random here._

_Comments/feedback is much appreciated :-)  
_

_Follow me on twitter if you like – polkadotb_


	2. Chapter 2: Werewolves

It's a little late, but HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Oh my goodness, you guys have no idea how long it took me to finalize this chapter! I have pages that I've had to edit out, as I went in a totally different direction. For that, I have to thank my beta **TheTinyDancer** for helping me out – she amazes me each time

Ms. Meyers owns all things Twilight!

Chapter Two

Werewolves

Zoe was like a star fish on the other side of my bed when I woke up. A foot had nestled easily into my ribs, while her fingers were entangled in my hair. Careful not to wake her, I rolled over a little onto my side, propping myself up on my elbow. There was so much to think of and worry about, but a few moments of uninterrupted silence was blissful and I took full advantage of it.

I watched my sister sleep, inhaling her sweet scent, while I enjoyed the warmth of having her close.

When the alarm sounded at five-am she didn't stir one bit. Still smiling, drunk off the rare serenity, I rolled out of bed and began to prepare our leave out of the cabin.

By the time I was showered and had completely packed for us both, Zoe was awake and any sign of what happened last night was far from her mind.

With a threat of another vampire in the vicinity, I knew I should have scooped Zoe up and drove like a bat out of hell as far away as possible the minute it had disappeared. But I was exhausted, physically and mentally, and I knew there was a chance she was watching, ready to follow the minute we left.

Besides, she would have killed me when she had the chance. Yet instead she helped me, in a roundabout way. I didn't trust her, but with no plan, I knew staying our final night in the cabin wouldn't have made much of a difference.

"Where are we going now?" Zoe asked as I tucked her stuffed elephant into her backpack. I'd would have hell to pay if I had left him.

"I don't know yet," I said truthfully. "We just need to leave."

My eyes swept the cabin for any signs of our stay. We had only happened upon the cabin by chance the week pervious, but I was sad to leave. It was in the perfect location; just a few miles from the road, but it had the feel of being in the middle of nowhere on the outskirts of Idaho. It also had the privacy that we desperately needed.

"Because of me," Zoe said miserably.

"You know it's not your fault when things like that happen, right?" I said as I sat on the porch swing after locking the cabin door. Zoe jumped on and we swung softly together. Guilt was washed all over her pretty face. It was heartbreaking dealing with the aftermath of her…accidents.

It was morally wrong of me to condone what she did. I was fully human. She killed innocent people. But somehow, morality and ethics got lost in translation when it came to my sister. I would do anything to protect her. Even if it meant forgiving her for the lives she took.

"They smelled so good," she whispered, her eyes staring off into the distance. "I tried not to…but…"

Tears spilled down her face as I held her close. I offered the same words that I'd repeated many times before, but I wasn't sure who I was trying to convince that it was all okay.

"I have more blood bags for you," I said softly once her tears ran out. "But I want you to absolutely promise you won't take any without me knowing. We need to start going back to a balanced diet."

"I promise," Zoe said sincerely. "I always try hard." She sniffed, looking away, as if racked with guilt.

The ache within me grew. She hated what she became. I hated the way she felt afterward. She wasn't killing on purpose. She just couldn't control herself. I would have done anything, _anything_, to make it all better.

"I know you do, sweetheart. I know." I swept the lingering tears off her cheeks. "We'll find a way, I promise."

I knew it was a futile promise – I was human. What was I supposed to do when it really came down to it? But I was willing to try.

X-x

Before I knew it we were crossing state line into Washington State. My heart did a mini jolt as we passed the welcome sign. It wasn't my intention to visit my once home state, but part of me needed the familiarity that I hadn't had in years. The other part of me wanted to turn the car around and drive in the opposite direction.

Being near my father was the exact opposite of what I really wanted to do. The last time I saw Charlie was less than pleasant. We both said hurtful and truly hateful things. I hated him for it. What he said about Zoe was unforgivable.

But I was scared. With everything aside, all the horrid things said and done, he was my father. I needed someone to talk to. Even if it pained me to go crawling back to him. Even if it meant dragging him even further into my messes.

Little comfort was better than none at all.

It wasn't like there was a guidebook to find out how to control your half vampire little sister who had the urge to slaughter people every now and then.

"Charlie lives here," Zoe said a few minutes after crossing the Stateline.

"Yep," I agreed, trying to hide any anxiety in my voice.

"Why are you sad?"

"I'm not sad," I began to say, but I earned a look that told me to quit lying when I glanced up at her through the rear-view mirror. "I just haven't seen Charlie in a long while. I'm anxious to see him again." That was the truth.

"He doesn't like me," Zoe said nonchalantly. "I could tell."

"That's not true," I said a little too quickly. "Charlie just doesn't understand you." I was surprised Zoe remembered my father. They had met before she was even talking. But then, Zoe always surprised me.

"I won't hurt him," Zoe told me softly after a long silence.

My hands were starting to sweat on the steering wheel. Of course that was a worry. Anything could happen. A sliced finger on a knife. A paper cut. Zoe could transform from the sweet, beautiful little girl that I loved, into the blood thirsty predator that made up half of her genes, in any given second.

It was not something I begrudged of her. It was not even something I was disgusted by, although a small voice in my head knew I was meant to be, but it was always a worry.

"Trust me, Zo, you are not the reason I am anxious to see him again." Thankfully my huge fight with Charlie was out of Zoe's earshot. She hated herself enough without my father adding to her self-loathing with his nasty rant about her nature.

X-x

Zoe loved the ferryboat from Seattle. Her smile was enough for me to forget everything that was going on in my head. She had that effect on everyone, and I was no exception.

A flurry of snow sprinkled down on us just as we reached the harbor. Zoe's eyes were bright and excitable as she watched the white dust fall from the darkening sky. I, on the other hand, suppressed my groan. Snow was never my favorite type of weather.

It was dark by the time we hit the road and Zoe was singing to her favorite songs which she was playing on the iPad. We had to make a stop in Sequim for gas and some dinner at a small diner, and then again in Port Angeles for a Starbucks for me.

Running on just a few, unsettled hours of sleep, and driving almost endlessly for most of the day was taking a huge toll on my body. But I didn't want to stop off at a motel. If I stopped for the rest of the night, I would have turned right around come morning.

By the time we were just a few miles outside of Forks, the snow had settled and Zoe was fast asleep. I rolled my window down enough for the cold air to hit my face. My eyes were stinging, watering like crazy as I tried to keep awake…

"Holy shit!"

Something huge ran out in front of the car. I swerved in the opposite direction, but with the snow, I skidded, sliding out of control. My foot slammed the brake and the car screeched before coming to a head snapping stop.

"Jesus!" I was well and truly awake. "Zoe?" I turned behind me, but Zoe was still deep in slumber. "Zoe!" I yelled and her eyes flew open.

"What?" she murmured.

My insides relaxed. "Are you okay?" She nodded.

"Why we stopped?" Zoe yawned as she took in the scenery around her. A dim light from a street lamp illuminated the trees on either side of us. We were probably only three miles or so away from Forks.

"Something ran out in front of us," I said as I tried to recall what I had seen. A bear? Maybe. It was huge, whatever it was. "We didn't crash, though," I continued, mainly to myself. I maneuvered the car into the shoulder and parked.

"Maybe you should have a snack before we arrive, anyway," I said, unbuckling my belt. Stepping out into the bitter cold air was both a shock and refreshing. The snow was still coming down in swirls and it was safe to say it was a sight I truly did not miss.

With the aid of the street light, I walked to the trunk and opened the cooler that the unknown vampire had given to Zoe as a 'parting gift'.

My eyes raised in surprised as I noted how much blood that she had left. I hadn't opened the cooler until then. It was more blood than I would have ever been able to obtain in one sitting.

"Where did you get all that?"

Zoe had crept up on me, a trick that she fully enjoyed.

"Get back in the car," I said, avoiding the question. "It's freezing."

"I'm never cold," she said. "You get back in the car!"

Her middle name should have been 'sassy'.

Picking a random bag, I handed it to Zoe silently. I watched as she pierced the bag and sucked through the tube. She made a face as it went down.

"Too cold?"

Zoe nodded, but didn't complain. "I need to pee," she said when she had sucked down half the bag in just seconds.

"Can you not hold on for a few minutes until we get to Forks?"

"I'm bursting!" She made a show of crossing her legs, a plea in her eyes.

"Okay, just one second then. You may not get cold, but I'm getting hypothermia here." True to my words, I shivered violently.

We had matching coats, except mines was dark blue, while hers was bright pink. I dug them both out of the back seat, hastily putting on mine while I shivered to the bone. Zoe didn't need hers as much as I did, since she ran hotter than most humans, but I was too over protective to let her go without.

"Here," I called, holding her coat up for her. "Zoe?" I was met with dead silence. Panic churned in my stomach. My mind flashed back to the last time I lost track of my sister. That had ended in disaster.

"I'm here," a small voice carried through the trees. I sighed. She had just gone to pee.

"Where's 'here'?" I called back. My eyes scanned the trees behind me, but it was too dark to see anything.

"By the light," Zoe shouted back. I glanced back to the street light behind me and saw Zoe walking out from the trees, still pulling up her pants. Her half drunk blood bag was in her mouth as she squirmed around trying to put her clothes back into place.

I laughed at the sight. "Hurry up before someone sees," I said as I walked towards her with her coat. "And I told you to wait," I added, as she skipped to meet me half way.

"I couldn't hold it," she whined.

"Fine, but don't just disappear next time. You scared the crap out of me," I said. Zoe put her blood bag between her teeth as I helped her shrug into her coat. "You want another before we get to Forks?" I nodded to the blood bag.

I didn't want to take any risks near my father. Or anyone in Forks, for that matter.

"Mmm," Zoe answered she sucked down the rest of her first.

"We will stay in the B&B that is on the edge of town, so you will have to drink any blood in the room, okay? And if things get really bad, please tell me." I handed her another blood bag.

"No accidents," she said gravely.

"No accidents," I whispered.

A beam of light illuminated the road. My heart skipped a beat as I realized we weren't the only ones out this late. "Zo, get in the car," I ordered as I slammed the trunk shut firmly. "Hide the blood bag."

Zoe was gone before I turned around. I went to get in the car, but a huge pile of rust, in the form of an orange truck pulled over in front of our Toyota before I could get to the door.

Squinting, I could make out vaguely familiar faces. Part of me relaxed the rest of me tensed up even more.

The driver was out of the cab of the truck before I could think about what to do. He had changed so much since I last saw him. My insides did a little dance as I watched him stride towards me.

"Bella," the driver said with delight. His whole face was lit up, his eyes swimming with happiness. "I cannot believe it's really you!" Without allowing me to reply, he filled the gap between us and pulled me into a huge hug.

When he let me go, I was able to breathe.

"Jacob," I said with a shake of the head as I looked him up and down. "You have no idea how good it is to see a familiar face! How have you been? You got massive!"

He really had. Two years had been kind to Jacob. He was a giant next to me. It was like looking up at a stranger, yet was still so familiar. His once long, black hair was cropped shorter. He has was more defined, no more boyish round cheeks. And his muscles…_Wow_.

He was definitely a man. No longer the boy I had seen last.

Then there was his warm brown eyes, and easy smile, reassuring me that Jacob was still there.

"I've been good," Jake said, taking me in, too. "You look different, too! What are you, like, thirty now?" Jacob's familiar throaty laugh eased through me, but his smile faded a little. "I can't believe it's been two years. You just disappeared off the face of the earth. Not even a smoke signal to say you're doing okay."

And there it was. The happiness faded away and I immediately felt inflated. "Yeah, um…" I bit my lip, glancing behind Jake as I tried to figure out my excuse. My eye caught the passenger in the bright orange truck. The man inside was watching us carefully. "Billy," I said and Jacob turned.

As if he had just remembered about his father, Jacob raced around the bed of the truck and pulled out a wheelchair, before helping his father out.

"You don't need to do that," I started to say, but Billy was already wheeling towards me.

"How are you, Billy?" I asked. Jacob's father had changed less than is son over the two years, except with maybe a few more worry lines, as my mother used to say.

"As well as an old man can be," Billy replied. "My, how you've grown, Miss Swan," Billy went on. "Charlie doesn't know you are coming, does he?"

I shook my head. "It was a spontaneous thing," I said, my voice catching a little.

"What happened between you two?" Jacob asked, as if he had been dying to say it for a long time. "It's one thing not visiting your best friend…But you didn't even come for the holidays to see him."

"Jacob," Billy warned. "It's none of our business."

"That's okay," I said. "Charlie and I had a fight a while back, but we're good now. And before, I was just really busy with school." There, that sounded good enough.

"A boy no doubt," Billy said with a grin.

Jacob and I both flushed. "Mmm," is all I replied. "How are Rachel and Rebecca?" I changed the subject. "They must be at university now?"

"Yes," Billy said, eyeing his son sideways. I glanced at Jacob who had turned tense. The atmosphere had suddenly turned so thick.

"Jake?" I called. "Everything okay?" Jacob's eyebrows furrowed as he sniffed the air.

"Jacob?" Billy managed to pull Jacob back a little as he straightened up.

"What made you stop? Is your car okay?" Jacob questioned me. Everything about Jacob had changed. His voice, his stance. He was completely different.

"Um, something ran out in front of the car and I had to do an emergency stop," I said cautiously.

"Something?"

"Yeah, something big. A bear…or something," I said with a shrug.

Jacob was satisfied. "You didn't see…a_ person_?" His lip curled.

I frowned. "No. Why?"

"Something smells…wrong," he muttered. Billy watched his son carefully just as Jacob left his side and walked towards my car.

"Jacob, what's wrong?" I tried to hide the tension in my voice.

Jacob was getting too close to Zoe's side of the car. I prayed she had hidden the blood. "Jake?" I made to follow Jacob, but Billy wheeled in front of me.

"Wait," he said cautiously, holding his hand out to stop me.

Before I could stop him, Jacob pulled open the car door and a growl came from deep within him.

"That's just my sister," I yelled as I skirted around Billy.

Jacob was staring inside my car with contempt. He rounded on me, a snarl on his face. "She isn't human." Before I could even process how he knew that, Jacob was running backward.

As Billy shouted at me to get off the road, I watched as my old friend no longer came to be. Instead, in his place was a giant wolf.

"Holy…shit," I said in a small whisper, stumbling backward.

I had never seen such a giant creature before. Standing magnificently tall, a beautifully colored russet wolf stared at my little sister, who had appeared out of nowhere. She was staring back at the wolf, her eyes alight with fear.

The wolf thundered at her, a growl that made my insides vibrate.

"NO!" I screamed. "Get back in the car!"

Zoe half turned towards me, but just as she did the wolf howled.

"Bella, get in my truck," Billy ordered, but I was barely listening as unseen wolves howled back in reply to the first.

"What is he?" I uttered, but it was a stupid question. _Werewolf?_

The red wolf was staring at my sister hungrily. Billy and I were just background figures, barely a blip on the wolf's mind.

Without much thinking, I darted forward and grabbed my sister's hand, yanking her as far away from the wolf as possible. Before I could pick her up, a low rumble from the creature shook us both to the core. Zoe whimpered.

"Billy, what does he want?" I tried to wheel Billy off the road, but he steered himself away from us.

"She isn't human, Bella," he said fiercely. "_She _is what he wants. If you had any sense, you would let them."

"She is my _sister_," I retorted angrily. I didn't understand much at that moment, except that the people I once knew were not as they seemed, and the fact that I wasn't going to let them touch Zoe.

"Jacob." I turned to the wolf. This was insane…totally crazy, but if Jacob was in there, he had to listen. I wasn't sure how much human was in him, but I had to try. "She is just a girl. She isn't even what you think."

The wolf snarled, his eyes narrowing in on Zoe. I stepped in front of my sister and together we backed up off the road, my eyes firmly on the wolf.

"Zoe," I whispered. "After, three get into the car." I felt her stiffen from behind me. "I'll be right behind you," I promised. "One...two…" The wolf growled. "Three!" I yelled, pushing Zoe a little.

Zoe screamed as she backed into me. I whipped around; my eyes locking with another wolf.

A little smaller than the first, and with light grey fur, the wolf bared its teeth at us.

Was it half human, too?

I pulled Zoe closer to me and we sidestepped towards the car. I looked around for Billy, but he was nowhere to be seen.

The red wolf was slowly coming in at us from the road, his teeth bared. We couldn't run towards either of the car doors. We were trapped. Literally.

"Jacob," I said, pleading to my once friend. "You have to listen. She isn't a vampire. She only smells like one because…" Jacob growled, but not at us. He turned toward the left of the road, the way in which we had driven from.

The grey wolf bared his teeth towards the beam of light which was lighting up the road. I almost sighed in relief, but the wolves hadn't run off at the sight of another car.

I pulled a protective arm tighter around Zoe, but I couldn't see what was going on.

"Zoe, I want you to listen me," I whispered quickly while the wolves were distracted. "You are faster than me. You can get away from them." Zoe strained her neck up to gaze up at me. I saw defiance in her eyes.

"No, listen," I continued. The wolves were watching whatever was coming. "You have a sense of smell that I don't. You can out run their path. Just follow your nose, okay? Forks is just a few miles south. Find the police station. They won't follow you there." Zoe was shaking from head to toe.

"Go!" I whispered, loosening my grip over her chest.

There was a whine from somewhere in the trees, but I didn't look up.

"I said go," I ordered. "I love you Zo Zo, now GO!" I pushed her towards the trees.

With her faster than human speed, Zoe ran off into the trees. But there was a loud shriek and she darted back onto the road. Chasing her, but coming to a halt by the road, was two more wolves.

"Leave her alone!" I yelled.

As Zoe slowly turned towards me I could see panic taking over.

"It's okay," I reassured her. "Just get to me." But she was frozen.

I ran toward her, but something pulled me off the road and into the trees.

By the time I was on my feet again, I was screaming.

"Zoe!" I shrieked.

But something covered my mouth. "It's better this way," said a low voice. I was face to face with a vampire. It wasn't the one from the night before. He was tall, slender, and blond. His pale face shone in the darkness.

My breath caught and I stumbled back.

"No," I spluttered. This wasn't happening.

"It's okay, we won't hurt you," a female voice said. A motherly woman stepped out from the trees. I could tell she was one too, but something about her didn't make me immediately panic.

"They have my sister," I said looking only at her.

"She is an immortal child," said the blond directly to my right. "Very dangerous creatures. It's easier if the wolves take care of her."

"She _isn't_ immortal," I shouted as I tried to run after the wolves. Someone grabbed my hand and pulled me back. It was another female; shorter than the first and with a pixie cut.

"She isn't human anymore," said Pixie Cut. "I'm sorry."

"Yes she is," I yelled back. "She is _half _human!"

"She's what?" the blond questioned, his face concentrating on something. Pixie Cut stepped towards me and sniffed before stepping back, her face a puzzle of emotions.

"Mr. Black said…" the motherly vampire trailed off.

"I thought it was the wolves' heart," the blond said, his eyes deeply confused. "But the scent…"

"I thought so, too," said Pixie Cut. "How is this possible?"

"I don't have time for bedtime stories," I said frustrated. "Those things are about to kill my sister!"

The three of them exchanged intense looks before nodding simultaneously. "We will get her," Pixie Cut promised before they disappeared through the trees.

"I can't just stand here," I muttered and took off toward the road. No cold hands pulled me back, so I ran through the trees.

It was eerily quiet as I ran onto the road. No wolves. No vampires. No Zoe.

My lungs were on fire by the time I reached the car. Catching my breath and holding onto the car for support, I guided myself towards the trees.

Something caught my eye and I stopped dead.

Lying in the road, surrounded with glistening snow, was a bright pink coat.

My heart stopped.

"ZOE!" I bellowed. My head started to spin. "_No_!" I rushed forwards toward the coat. But it was just the coat. It was empty.

I let out the breath I had been holding and bent to pick it up, but something crashed right into me.

"They didn't get me," my little sister cried, holding onto me tightly.

"Oh my God! Zoe," I murmured as I scooped her up and held her close.

"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" I searched her for any kind of injury. If one hair was out of place, I would have killed Jacob Black myself.

Zoe was sobbing too much to answer, but she shook her head. After a few gasping breaths, she managed to calm down a little. "They…tried to bite me," she said through tears. Her face was red and she was even warmer than usual. And she was shaking so hard in my arms.

I gulped back a wave of anger. If I ever saw those wolves again, I would have shot the lot.

"Where are they?" I whispered, my eyes scanning the road and trees surrounding us.

"After the man," Zoe said shakily. "He tried to get them away from me. I think they've gone." I wiped away her tears as I kissed her on the cheek.

"Let's get out of here," I said, and I wasn't meaning towards Forks. I never wanted to go back there ever again.

With Zoe still glued to my hip, I bent down and picked up her coat. As I walked back to the car, I covered her with it, as if it would somehow shield her. My hands were shaking badly with anger and fear as I tried to open the car door.

_Deep breaths._

Against my chest, Zoe turned into lead. "Look out!" she screamed.

The large russet wolf raced towards us from the trees. I tried to shove Zoe in the car, but he pounced.

Zoe's screams were all I could hear before I went down; hitting my head against something hard, with hot, searing pain stinging my left arm.

"She's not immortal," someone yelled above me just before I blacked out completely.

* * *

I really hope people are enjoying this, even if it's just one or two. Let me know how I'm doing so far and thank you for reading :-)


	3. Chapter 3: Golden Eyes

Sorry it's taking so long to update, college has robbed me of my free time once again!

I own nothing Twilight, Ms. Meyers does!

Enjoy my lovelies

Chapter Three

Golden Eyes

Drifting into consciousness was like waking up from a bad hangover. I wasn't quite sure what was going on and everything ached.

"She's waking up," a faraway sounding voice echoed in my ears.

As I took a deep breath, something urgent swirled into my brain. I tried to sit up, but something held me firmly.

"Shh," someone cooed. "Try to stay still. You're okay, you're safe." Something cool pressed against my cheeks. My head ached and blood was whooshing in my ears. I couldn't think straight. I knew something had happened, something big, but every time I tried to grasp the memory, it slipped away from me.

I let the person soothe me as I lay still.

"Make sure Jasper stays out the house while I attend to the blood," someone said.

"I'm on it!"

The sense of urgency floated back to me and I tried to sit up again, with a gasping breath.

"My sister," I mumbled.

"She's here, she's safe," a close voice replied. "Just try to relax, okay?"

Not taking their word for it, I tried to get up again. A firm grip pulled me down. "Zo!" I tried to shout, but my voice was all hoarse.

"She's fine," someone spoke. "She is in shock, but physically fine." The voice was soothing, reassuring, but I needed proof.

The cool grip on my shoulders propped me into a sitting position. It took me a second to process everything, but I realized we were in a car.

In the front seat, Zoe was balanced on someone's lap sitting backwards, their arms holding her steady. I searched for bite marks…a hair out of place, but she was perfect.

The sense of urgency dulled. She was safe. That was all that mattered to me.

-x-

Waking up for the second time was easier than the first. A familiar warmth was clutching my side, which was as much reassurance as I needed. Feeling me stir, the warmth patted my cheek gently. "And good morning to you," I murmured groggily. Then I froze.

_The wolves…The vampires…_

Everything flashed through me, leaving me a little winded.

I bolted up with a start and was met with two pairs of golden eyes.

A male and female stared back at me cautiously.

My breath caught in my throat. My first instinct was flight. I grabbed Zoe, who was nestled into me, and started to get up.

Instinctively, without a doubt, I knew what they were. Vampires always spelled trouble in my book.

The female was familiar. I hadn't noticed her eyes at the time; I had just assumed they were blood red.

The two golden eyed vampires held up their hands, as if I was pointing a gun to them, and stepped back. "We are not going to hurt you. We just want to help," the blond male said gently. "My name is Carlisle. This is my wife Esme."

The motherly vampire smiled at me kindly. The male was a different one from the trees.

They looked like the perfect couple. Both beautiful, perfect in every sense.

With her heart shaped face, and the soft locks of caramel hair, the woman looked even more motherly in the bright lights of the spacious living room. With a pale blue shirt tucked into brown dress pants, she looked as if she had just gotten home from a day at the office, not a jaunt in the woods mingling with wolves as she had been.

The husband, a little older, but not much so, was dressed similarly, with black pants and blue sweater, with a crisp white shirt collar casually open below the neck. Business casual, my mom would have said.

If I didn't know what they were, I would have thought they were just like any other humans that I had ever known. The vampires I had met before them wouldn't have fit in as well and would have looked out of place in a brightly lit house, which had a homely warm feeling to it.

But thinking they were just like any other humans, was what could get a person killed.

Zoe and I exchanged looks. Her cheeks were drained of her usual rose and her bottom lip was quivering. She was frightened.

It was enough for me to get us out of there.

Straightening up wasn't as easy as I imagined. Blood rushed to my head before I could even take one step. My vision was blacking out. I breathed in slowly, trying to keep myself standing.

"You really should rest," the male said. "You're body is still recovering."

Using Zoe as a guide, I held on to her as she helped me to the front door. As my vision came back into focus, something essential occurred to me.

My hand lingered over the door handle. "Where is my car?" I didn't turn around.

"Rosalie is doing her best to fix it."

"Fix it?" Last I checked it was in one piece.

"It got a little trampled while we were trying to defuse the situation earlier," the woman said with an apology in her voice.

"You have a concussion and a laceration on your arm. I have given you something for the pain, so I would advise against driving right at this moment," her husband added gently.

"Where are we?" I questioned, keeping my back stiff and eyes on the door.

"A few miles outside of Forks," a new voice replied. I stiffened. Slowly, I turned toward the sound.

Another vampire sat at the bench of a shiny grand piano. I wasn't sure if he had appeared out of nowhere, or if he had been there the whole time. He had distinctive bronze hair, with perfect Greek statue features. He was a little younger than the other two, maybe twenty or so, but that wasn't what drew my attention.

He was scrutinizing me with his intense golden eyes.

I bit back my growing questions about the eyes and looked away from him.

"Then we'll walk." I opened the front door with ease, but I was swaying on my feet.

"You wouldn't make it down the drive," Bronze Hair said. "If you are so instant on leaving, I could drive you?"

"I'll be fine," I said. I stepped out on their porch, Zoe by my side. I turned, glancing back at the concerned faces watching after us. "One thing," I said slowly. "How…" My voice caught. I cleared my throat and looked the woman. "Did you even see Zoe before you decided what she was…Or were you," I swallowed, aware Zoe was watching, "just going to let her be killed." It was hard to keep the bitterness out of my tone.

The woman and I looked at each other for a long moment. Many emotions flickered through her beautiful face. There was something about her that tugged my insides. I wanted to hate her. She almost got Zoe killed, or at least played a hand in it. Yet, I didn't have anything hateful to think towards her. There was no rage within me as I stared at her while she answered.

"We saw her," Esme said, her voice marred with regret. I nodded to myself, trying to keep the tears back. "Mr. Black told us what his wolves were doing and why. We saw Zoe run quicker than human pace…"

"She has a heartbeat," I said quietly, almost to myself.

Esme looked toward Zoe. "I am so, so sorry," she said, then met my eyes. "It was a quick, unfair judgment on our behalf. Immortal children are…" She closed her eyes and shook her head. "That isn't even an excuse." She opened her eyes. "I am so sorry!" She sounded so heart broken and sincere that I let myself nod in acceptance.

"It happened so fast," I said. "It's not you I blame." It was the…wolves. That was still a hard thought to swallow. I had known Jacob a long time. Not only did he turn into a wolf, but he tried to kill my sister all within the space of just a few minutes.

"Are you sure you won't stay, for an hour at least?" Carlisle asked with genuine concern.

"Look, no offense or anything, but I don't have much trust in your kind. I'm sure you've work out why," I said stiffly, clutching Zoe's hand tighter.

"That's understandable," Carlisle said. "But let me assure you that we would never hurt either of you."

I turned and stared straight at him. "You're not the first vampire to promise such things. Only…"

"They failed to meet their promise," Bronze Hair finished.

"Exactly." I turned without another word.

I made it to the porch steps with Zoe leading the way, but I began to feel woozy half way down.

A frightened squeal escaped Zoe's lips as she held me up.

Exhaling slowly, I blinked down.

Her light brown eyes were lit with fear, but I was beginning to see that it wasn't the vampires she was afraid of it.

It was fear_ for_ me. She was worried I was really hurt.

My body ached; I was cold and dead on my feet with exhaustion. I glanced at my watch only to realize that it was broken. I suppressed a sigh. Maybe I could call Charlie, I wondered. But it seemed one problem too many to burden him with. And I definitely didn't want to go back to Forks again.

What if they wolves were waiting for us?

Staying went against every instinct in my body, but Zoe was able to sense danger, and I could tell she thought it was safe.

I closed my eyes tight in defeat. "Fine," I said. "Would it be too much to ask if I could get our stuff from the trunk of the car and access to a bathroom?"

I had never met any vampire who owned a house. But I had also never met a vampire with golden eyes. Surely there was something significant about that. I was tempted to ask, but I swallowed my questions.

"Sure," Bronze Hair said. "Alice is gathering your stuff as we speak. The bathroom is upstairs, on the second door to the left. Do you need help getting up the stairs?"

"I have legs, thanks," I said coldly as Zoe and I took the stairs together. From somewhere below us, I could hear a slight chuckle at my remark, and Zoe was smirking.

My weight was mostly held up by Zoe, but it would have been a cold day in hell when I asked a vampire for help for such a mundane task.

Once out of view from the watchful eyes, I took in the lavish house for the first time. Everything was neat and tidy. Bright, too. The walls were mostly neutral, but there was barely an inch not littered with some sort of art.

By the time I came to the second floor landing, an unsettling feeling of déjà vu bubbled inside me, but I couldn't quite place it.

I stood statue still and looked around me. I had that horrible tip-of-the-tongue feeling, where the answer was staring straight at me, but no matter how much I probed my brain, it wouldn't come.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to dig through my thoughts, but much like my mother's old office desk, the files in my brain were scattered everywhere and nothing was distinguishable.

I sighed as I opened my eyes. Zoe was looking up with inquisitive eyes, but I shook my head. Too many listening ears.

I let the odd feeling within me sink away, even though I knew it would bother me until I could come to a conclusion.

Through the second door to the left was a large bathroom, as promised by Bronze Hair.

"Awesome," Zoe said in awe, letting go of my hand.

The bathroom was almost bigger than our old apartment in California. The bath sat in the middle, with a small wooden bench next to it. The walls were white, but with pink back lights, giving the roof a pink glow around the edges. The furthest away wall was made up entirely of mirror, with a white countertop running across it, and two glass sinks spaced out at either end.

Around a corner was the stand in shower, which would have easily fit several people, and opposite that was a door, which I assumed was the toilet.

Zoe was opening and exploring the cupboards around the room, while I sat on the bench next to the bath.

A soft knock at the door made me jump. With a resigned breath, I composed myself and opened the door.

"Hi, I'm Alice," said the short pixie cut vampire that I had met alongside Esme. "Here is your stuff." She rolled the suitcase with my purse on top towards me. "Can I get you anything else?" Alice was a little shorter than me, but I couldn't stop staring at her eyes.

_Golden. _

For the third time, I found myself about to ask why they weren't red, but changed my mind at last second. "We're good, thank you." I took a step back, about to close the door. "Actually, do you mind if I bathe Zoe?"

Alice glanced behind me, eyeing Zoe, who was probably messing with someone's stuff. "Not at all. Feel free to use anything you like. We'll be down stairs, so just call down if you can't find anything. Esme is making up a bed you both once you are done."

"Um…thanks." I attempted to smile, but my face was hurting too much. I closed the door and locked it behind me.

"Zo, quit playing with their stuff," I said absently minded as I lay the suitcase on the floor. "Come and pick out your pajamas while I run a bath."

Once the bath was filled, I helped Zoe undress. I took in every inch of her skin, making sure there wasn't a mark on it.

"They didn't hurt me," Zoe told me. She picked up her sweater. "It killed this, though." We both examined it and she was right. The pink sweater had claw marks down the back.

I shuddered. I turned Zoe around to double check her back for claw marks.

"Better that than you," I said bitterly. I traced her warm skin with my finger. Not even a tiny scratch. I pulled her into a hug. I needed to hold her, to reassure me I wasn't dreaming.

When I let her go, Zoe's eyes drew to my arm. She traced her finger over the bandage that covered most of my left forearm.

I had only barely noticed it. It was the furthest thing from my mind until then.

"The doctor fixed it," Zoe said quietly. Her eyes were brimmed with tears.

She had never seen me get so much as a paper cut.

"Which doctor?"

"The bigger one," Zoe said. "Carlisle?" She tested the name, unsure of its pronunciation. "He injected something into you; he said it would help the pain."

I nodded. It was probably why I was barely aware of the wound. And it was probably why I felt so woozy.

"What about the blood?" I wondered aloud. Why was I even alive? A house of vampires, with all that blood, surely just a drop would have driven them into a frenzy?

Zoe looked blank. "He cleaned it up," she said, not understanding what I had meant.

"Of course," I said quietly, my mind racing.

Maybe the older they got, the more they were able to control their hunger. The only person I had ever seen lose their control when blood was exposed, had been my own sister. I had met three vampires previously, but neither of them had been feeding at the time.

I thought I knew a lot about vampires, but I was beginning to realize I didn't even know the first thing about them.

Zoe had slid into the bath herself. Despite what she had seen and gone through, she was smiling. She loved nothing more than a warm bath. She hated the shower for some reason.

"What happened to the, um, _wolves_?" I changed the subject a little. Vampires I could deal with at a push. But werewolves? If I hadn't seen Jacob before he turned, I wouldn't have believed they were half human.

"They listened to Esme," Zoe replied as she blew away the bubbles off her hands. "And a big huge black one came out and they all ran away."

I sat back down on the small bench. My head seemed to ease a little more once I was sat down, which was a welcome respite.

As Zoe splashed about the bath in-between washing herself, I tried to clear my head. The wooziness was fading, but my mind was still jumbled.

Everything that had happened, not just with the wolves, and then the vampires, but the weeks previous, seemed to crash down on me. Before I could reign in my emotions, tears spilled down my face.

My body racked as I sobbed. I turned a little on the bench to shield myself away from Zoe while she was happily playing in the bath.

The floodgates had opened and every negative thing that had happened over the past two years engulfed my brain. I cried harder as all the memories crashed into me at once. I felt like I was going to suffocate as I sniffled, trying to get air in-between crying.

I was drowning in a pool of negativity when something wet touched my shoulder. I jumped a little and straightened up. Hastily, I wiped my face and nose with my sleeve and took a few breaths and cleared my throat.

"Why you crying?" a small voice pulled me out of my self-pity. I hated crying, but I hated it worse when I had an audience.

My eyes felt puffy as I looked up, but I could make out Zoe's concerned face.

Wrapped in a fluffy white bath towel, Zoe looked tiny as she stood dripping wet next to me.

"I don't know," I answered with a half truth. "I'm not doing a very good job keeping you safe, am I?"

"You're the one that was hurt," Zoe protested.

A small watery smile cracked my face. "That's not really what I meant," I whispered.

Zoe looked as if she was going to cry, too. She shuffled forward, dripping the floor as she wrapped her arms around my waist for a long moment. When she let go, I was soaking wet, but I didn't care. "You're the best sister in the world," was all she said, but I heard so much more in her voice. I pulled her on my lap and breathed in the fresh floral sent from the bubble bath.

She was my comfort blanket. Her warmth and closeness was all I needed to calm down.

"Are we staying here tonight?" Zoe asked after a yawn.

There were so many reasons to say no to that. My gut instinct was telling me to leave as quickly as possible.

I didn't like vampires, nor did I trust them.

But something felt different and I wasn't afraid of the golden eyed vampires as I knew I should be.

"You don't think they are bad?"

Zoe shook her head. "They helped you, and made the wolves leave us alone."

"You trust them," I said.

"Yes. Are they like me?"

"Half like you," I answered. "What did you say to them while I was…asleep?"

Zoe slipped off my lap and I helped her get dry before she started putting on her pajamas herself.

I glanced at my watch again, only to be reminded that it was still broken. I repressed another sob. It had been my mothers.

"Nothing," Zoe mumbled as she pulled the PJ top over her head.

"You didn't speak to them at all?"

"They asked me questions, but I just wanted you to wake up." Zoe went to the suitcase and dug through it.

"Good girl," I whispered. Stranger danger still applied, even if you were half vampire. Although, it went out the window when she got into the car with them, but I figured that was because she knew she could trust them. Still, I was proud of her.

"Where's Rory?" Zoe whined when she had dug through the whole suitcase after emptying her backpack onto the white tiled floor.

I got up and helped her search for her stuffed elephant. I had doubled and triple checked that he was safe in Zoe's backpack that morning at the cabin, but she was right, he wasn't there, nor was he in the suitcase. .

"Where did you last have him?" I attempted to fold all the clothes back into the case, but I was too exhausted to bother with neatness.

"This morning!" Zoe was almost in tears. Losing Rory would have been as much of a disaster as it would have been if she had lost her right arm.

"Are you sure? You didn't take it out of the bag at all?" I really didn't relish the thought of driving back another five hundred miles just to get back her elephant.

"No!" Zoe whined. "It was in the…" Her eyebrows furrowed. "I took him out of my backpack on the ferryboat."

"Oh, please tell me you didn't leave it on there," I said. At least it was better there than back in Idaho.

"I don't know. Maybe he's in the car?" She looked hopeful. I rolled my eyes.

"Let's hope it is," I said. "Stay here and finish getting ready for bed. Are you hungry? We haven't eaten in hours."

"Mmm, just thirsty," Zoe replied. She meant human thirsty, at least.

"Okay, stay here and I'll go find Rory and see if I can find something for you to drink." I stood up and unlocked the bathroom door. "Don't leave, okay?" I added quietly. Zoe nodded.

When I made it downstairs at a snail's pace, since my legs were barely functioning, I could tell that Carlisle and Esme had heard every word. There wasn't any point in me saying anything.

"I can fix her a drink," Esme said. "We have some human things in the kitchen. Does she like soda?"

It was a little late for soda, but Zoe wouldn't have drunk water if she was offered it. "Yes, thank you," I answered.

"Would you like anything to eat or drink?" She glided to her feet and headed for the stairs, gently easing past me. My eyes flashed and I made to follow her.

"Oh, no, don't worry, the kitchen is up there, that's all," Esme quickly reassured me. If it had been anyone else, I would have followed her anyway.

"Sorry," I said. "I have trouble trusting vamp…_people_."

She gave me a kind smile and a small nod. "I understand," she said before she hurried up the stairs, out of sight.

Carlisle was watching me carefully, as I let my eyes drop from where Esme had disappeared. It was frustrating that I had normal human hearing and I couldn't follow her moves through my senses like they could mine.

"Where are the others?" I asked, politely making conversation. I wasn't going to leave the house until Esme was back downstairs.

"They are out front fixing your car," Carlisle replied. "How is your arm and head?"

"Stinging and sore, but I'll live," I said. "Thanks for patching me up." There was still a huge question of how he managed it without having the urge to slaughter me, but it would have been rude to ask out right.

"My pleasure," the doctor said. "Once I thoroughly cleaned the bite, I was relieved to see it wasn't as bad as I first thought, and I was able to suture it while you were unconscious. However, the wound will need to be looked at in a few days and you will need to check for signs of infection."

"Just send the bill to the Black's residence. They owe me that much," I said through gritted teeth. It was a shame I couldn't just get a lawyer and put the beast, who tried to rip my arm off, down.

"No charge," Carlisle said. "Do you know why they came after you?"

Esme came down before I could answer. "I left a tray of milk and cookies and some sandwiches by the bathroom door. Would you like me to show you where your car is so you can look for the teddy bear?"

"Um, sure, thanks," I said warily. Everything was backwards. Vampires weren't supposed to be warm and gracious.

Esme led me out into the night. She stayed close by my side, as if worried I was going to keel over at any moment. My legs weren't as wobbly as they had been, but I wasn't running any marathons soon.

It had stopped snowing and any evidence that it had, had disappeared. But it was still bitterly cold.

We walked a little ways toward a huge garage. A spotlight spilled over the grass, allowing me to see the activity going on inside the building.

My car was half in the garage, half out. Inside, the brightly lit room was a little more crowded than I had expected.

Alice was sitting cross legged on the hood of a red BMW convertible. She smiled as we approached. Leaning on the hood of the car next to her, was the blond male that had pulled me off my feet and into the trees away from the wolves. He watched me carefully as Esme and I entered the garage. He seemed slightly less welcoming than the others. His demeanor was stiff as I approached, and his lip curled inward.

Alice stoked the blonds' arm in a soothing manner and he seemed to relax at her touch. "Bella, this is Jasper," Alice said brightly, cutting the tension that was building in the room.

A flash of memory shook me as I regarded Jasper with caution. _"Just make sure Jasper is out of sight until I can clean away the blood."_

"Don't worry about Jasper, he has little faith in himself, but he hasn't eaten anyone in decades," a burly vampire said with a huge grin.

"Emmett!" Esme scolded. "That is _not _funny."

It wasn't funny in the slightest, a very crude joke, but I found myself fighting a smile.

"Just breaking the ice," Emmett said with a wink.

He was sitting on the counter top and I couldn't help but wonder how it was carrying his weight. He was the biggest person I had ever seen. If he wasn't grinning, I would have been more wary of him than Jasper.

"We found that elephant your sister has been pining for." Emmett pulled Rory from behind his back.

"Emmett's has been having fun playing with him," Alice said with a wicked grin. "Hope your sister won't mind."

Emmett threw Alice a 'you're dead' look. I tried not to laugh.

"I'm sure she'll make an exception this one time," I replied as I held my hand out for him to throw the elephant. But Emmett chucked it with force and it flew over my head.

"Nice throw, Em," said a voice from behind me. Bronze Hair handed me Rory. "This thing stinks," he added as he let Rory drop into my waiting hands.

I smirked. It was true. Rory used to be pale grey, with pink feet. These days, his coat was more on the brown side and smelled like old laundry. He needed a wash, but it was impossible to do without Zoe freaking out.

"I could spruce him up a bit, if you like?" Alice offered.

"You could try, but Zoe will scratch your eyes out if you do," I said seriously. Everyone laughed.

I was about to ask about my car, but before I could utter a word, the tightly wound blond, Jasper, was by my side in an instant. The whole atmosphere turned tense. Emmett leapt off the counter, all humor faded from his face.

"Hey, dude, chill," he warned in a low voice. Someone was stood directly behind me and a figure sprung out from underneath my car.

Alice appeared at Jasper's side, her arm reaching for his.

"Jasper," she said quietly.

"I'm not going to hurt her," Jasper said defensively. He took a step forward, shrugging off Alice's hold. Inhaling, Jasper gave a side look over my shoulder before he stepped back.

Everyone relaxed a little, but I was left breathless.

"The stench of wolf covered it," Jasper said, "but you stink of vampire."

"State the obvious," Emmett said, his stance fully at ease.

"No, not just us," Jasper said, his eyes narrowing toward my hair. He glanced behind me again, but before I could see what he was looking at, Bronze Hair was in front of me.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said softly. He nodded towards my neck. "May I?"

My eyebrows were raised with confusion, but I didn't move or object as Bronze Hair inched closer to me.

Gently, he pulled back my hair and swept it up and off my shoulders. He was as close to me as he could get, staring at my neck with disgust. My heart was stammering in my chest. I could barely breathe with his proximity.

When someone cleared their throat, Bronze Hair stepped back, letting my hair fall down my back.

"I noticed the bruise at the front," he said stiffly. "But not the finger marks."

"What are you…?" My eyes flared. Oh. I had completely forgotten about the bruises on my neck that I had noticed that morning. The red-head vampire that left Zoe the blood bags had also left me a little gift; a nice purple and blue bruise over my neck.

With everyone staring at me, I hastily pulled my hair back to the front, which covered the worst of the bruising. I had deliberately worn my hair like that to cover it up, so that Zoe did not see.

"Who did that to you?" Alice asked.

"I figured it was came from the chaos earlier, but now…" Bronze Hair shook his head in loathing. He looked furious with himself. "You said Carlisle wasn't the first vampire to make promises. Was that who did it to you?"

"You haven't smelled her before?" I asked. I thought maybe she had followed us, but if she was off their radar then she was probably long gone.

"_Her_?" The figure that had sprung out from under the car spoke for the first time. It didn't take much brain power to work out that she must have been Rosalie, since she was the only one who had been working on my car. I took in the newest vampire with envy. All the vampires that I had met were beautiful, but she made me feel insignificant just by being near her.

"She just happened to be at the same place we were staying last night," I answered. There wasn't any point in lying.

"And she hurt you?" Bronze Hair probed, anger pulsing in his eyes.

I shrugged. "I'm alive, so I got off mildly."

"What did she want?" Esme asked.

"She was curious about Zoe," I said then I shut up. I didn't want to tell them the full story. It was none of their business why she was attracted to her in the first place. That was my problem.

"First nomad vampires, then wolves. You're like a magnet for danger," Emmett said with a grin. "It's no wonder you are not running away, screaming for help just by being near us. You literally have seen it all."

I laughed softly. "I think tonight was the cherry on top, but yeah, I feel like I have."

Everyone was still staring at me, making me feel a little uncomfortable being so close to that many vampires. "Well, um, I'm sure Zoe is anxious for her elephant," I said to no one in particular. "Thanks again." I held up Rory before I turned out of the garage with Esme back at my side.

"I made up a bed in the guest bedroom," she told me as we made our way back to the house. "I can make up another if you prefer a bed to yourself?"

"One bed is enough," I said. "One question, actually. Where are the blood bags that were in the trunk?" Zoe would need them come morning. It was her equivalent to my coffee.

"We put them in the fridge. I hope that was okay?" Esme led the way up the porch steps and opened the front door for me.

"Yeah, that's fine. Um, you guys can help yourself to it, if you would like. It's the least I can offer since you have helped us out so much already," I said. It seemed like a fair way to repay them.

Esme laughed softly. "That's okay, dear. We don't drink human blood."

"Oh," I said in surprise. "Right." I glanced into Esme's golden eyes for a long moment. It was making a little more sense now. "Your eyes," I said slowly. "Human blood turns them red?"

"Yes," Carlisle said. He was sitting in one of the armchairs in the large living room. On his lap was a newspaper. I absorbed the image for a second and I couldn't help but think how human he looked.

"Then you drink…?" I think I knew the answer, but I couldn't have been sure.

"Animal blood," Esme replied. "It sustains us enough to live."

I found myself much more intrigued than I wanted to be. I had a million and one questions, but it wasn't the time for them.

"Come on, I'll show you to your room," Esme said taking off up the stairs.

Zoe was enjoying the food that Esme had left. It reminded me of when I was little and my mom used to fix us both midnight snacks. The thought left a lump in my throat. I tried to blink back any more emotion, as I wasn't prepared to have another crying fit.

Zoe smiled charmingly when she noticed our arrival. When she spied Rory in my hands she squealed, rushing to her feet to retrieve him. Hugging him tightly, she settled back down to her cookies.

"Why do you have food if you don't eat?" Zoe asked Esme, her mouth filled with cookies.

"Zoe," I said. "It's impolite to ask, and it's rude to talk with your mouthful."

Zoe gulped down her glass of milk and wiped her mouth. "Sorry," she said reproachfully.

"It's okay," Esme said with a light hearted smile. "We have food for any human visitors."

"Oh," Zoe said with another question on her face. "How many houses have you lived in?" Zoe's curiosity was as eager as mine.

"Oh, lot's and lot's," Esme replied.

"Alright, Missy, let's finish getting ready for bed. Find your toothbrush and then we'll say good night." I began tidying up the mess that we had left in the bathroom, but Esme stopped me.

"I'll do it," she said, but I shook my head. She had already done more than enough. Zoe did as she was asked and brushed her teeth and we were both finished our tasks at the same time.

"What time is it, anyway?" I asked Esme.

"Almost two am," she said as she took my suitcase from me and wheeled it out of the bathroom and led us down the hallway.

Wow. Time had disappeared. We drove most of the day, so I didn't expect it to be early, but not as late as that. How long had I been out for after I had been attacked?

Esme opened the door to the guest bedroom and rolled the suitcase by the leather sofa in the far end of the room. Like I had noticed in their living room, the south wall had been replaced by a floor to ceiling window which looked out to miles of trees.

The moon and stars gave off a breath taking backdrop.

"Wow," I whispered as I moved towards the window. "I can see why you picked this house."

"Yes, it is quite spectacular," Esme agreed.

"It's just a sky," Zoe interjected. I glanced behind me to see her showing Rory the room.

I laughed. "Say goodnight, Ms. Sassy-pants. It's way past your bedtime." I opened the bed covers for Zoe to hop in.

"Goodnight," Zoe said with a yawn.

"What do you say for the food?" I run my finger over her cheek lovingly.

"Thank you," Zoe said to Esme in a well-rehearsed tone.

"That's no problem," Esme said. "Sleep well, my darling." Esme left us alone, closing the door behind her.

"I like her," Zoe said as she snuggled down into the bed.

"Me too," I admitted. I lay down next to my sister.

"We aren't going to see your daddy, are we?" Zoe asked, her voice marred with sleep.

"I don't think so," I whispered, but she was already sound asleep. "Good night, sweetheart." I kissed her on the cheek and tucked in her firmly.

Switching off the bedroom light, I glanced back to see that the moon was giving off enough light to act as Zoe's nightlight.

It really was a beautiful sight.

I closed the door half way behind me and sat against the wall opposite the door as I had done the previous night in the cabin. I was as tired as Zoe, but I was too wired up to sleep.

"You're quite the mother bear, aren't you?" Alice appeared at my side, making me jump slightly.

"You do anything to protect someone you love," I said without a seconds thought.

"That's true," Alice mused.

"But you're wondering what a human could possible do to protect a half vampire?"

"That's also true," Alice said with a smile in her voice.

"You do whatever it takes," I said. "But up against someone like you, then I'm dead in a minute if that's what they desire."

"It can't be easy," Alice said emphatically.

"It gets worse by the day," I blurted before I could stop myself.

"We could help, if you let us. We're not like the others, as you might have guessed," Alice said.

"I can see that. It's just hard, you know?" I yawned twice in a row. My eyes were starting to sting with tiredness, but I fought furiously against it.

"Your sister comes first," Alice said. "But you don't have to do it alone. At least tell us what it is that is getting worse."

"Let me think about it," I said with another yawn. "I hate that you're so hard to mistrust and loathe. I should have run the minute I realized what you were, but here I am, sitting having a conversation with you while my sister snoozes in your bed."

Alice laughed softly. "Your heart is telling you one thing, but your brain is telling you another. But you're here, so one of them is overruling." Alice stood. "You are about to collapse with exhaustion. You should get some sleep so you have a clear head in the morning. Then you can decide what you want to do."

She offered me her hand, which I gladly took since I had no energy left. Once she had helped me to my feet, she took a step back and allowed me to make it across the hall towards the bedroom on my own.

I stood in the door way, my body swaying with tiredness. "Zoe is all I have left. She needs me and I need her. It's hard to let others in. Just don't take it personally."

"What about your father?" Alice asked, throwing me off guard. I blinked.

"My father?"

"You're Chief Swan's daughter, right? Bella Swan?" Alice was cautious. My eyes narrowed. How could she have possible known that? I hadn't told them my name and I knew Zoe hadn't either. "Edward thinks so, anyway. He said you have the Chief's eyes."

"Which on is Edward again?" I asked.

"Um, the one that revealed the finger bruises," Alice said.

"I liked 'Bronze Hair'" better," I muttered. "Well, tell _Edward _that he pays a little too much attention to deal." Alice's tinkering laugh pulled the tension out of me. "But he is right. I _am_ Charlie's daughter," I confirmed.

"He doesn't know about…" Alice nodded towards the door.

"He does," I admitted. "But it's a long, complicated story."

"Zoe's father?" Both Alice and I knew she was pushing it. I felt myself clam up.

"That's an even longer and more complicated story," I said, closing the subject.

Alice nodded. She could take a hint. "Well, goodnight, Bella. We'll be here in the morning. Esme went to get some breakfast food and Rosalie has fixed your car."

I pushed opened the bedroom door and stepped inside. "Thanks," I said for the last time. "Good night," I added as I closed the door behind me.

Zoe was dead to the world as I settled down next to her, still fully clothed. My head was throbbing and my arm stung like hell, but it had been on very long day. As soon as I closed my eyes, all my problems faded as I drifted away.

* * *

That was a longer chapter than before. I enjoyed writing it, so I hope you enjoyed reading it. I have the next few chapters already written, so reviewers will get a small sneak preview from the next chapter!

I have a random side note that I wanted to ask you guys. I wanted to get your opinion on what puts you off a story you are enjoying? Like, it's all good until the author does something and it puts you off? For me, I would be put off with new, random characters that become part of the main story. But then I introduced Zoe in my own story and I have found I like having her there. So, what about you? What puts you off, or what is your pet peeve?

Have a great week!

Thank you for reading!

AThousandStars

xXx


	4. Chapter 4: A Truce

i guys, I hope you will enjoy this update! I have a longish A/N at the end, so I hope you stick around long enough to read it. I explain Zoe's aging since it is mentioned in this chapter.

Ms. Meyers is the owner of all the Twilight characters. I am merely borrowing them for my own story.

Enjoy!

Chapter Four

A Truce

My body was stiff as a board when I awoke, but I felt fresher than I had in days. It had been a long night. Arriving in Forks had been a lot more dramatic than I had been prepared for. Learning about werewolves, and accepting the offer to stay the night at The Vampire Inn, was not exactly the image I had in my head on the ferry over from Seattle.

I hadn't even seen my father yet. And I wasn't sure I would ever make that visit. Ignorance was bliss, as the saying went. I doubted Jacob or Billy was going to run off to tell him his daughter was in town. Not after what I had witnessed. Besides, Jacob nearly bit my arm off. I was sure that would be something they would want to avoid my father finding out.

I felt the weight of the bed move. I yawned as I squirmed in the bed.

I arched my back, trying to make it crack as I sat up. I was in a cocoon of bed covers, which I thought was Zoe's way of giving me some warmth.

Sat next to me, my sister and Esme were huddled on the bed, outstretched, with the iPad between them.

"You're awake!" Zoe said, glancing up from the screen. "I'm teaching Esme how to play _Angry Birds_."

"She is an excellent teacher," Esme said fondly. "Carlisle had a few early appointments, but he left some painkillers for your arm. How are you feeling?"

"Better, thanks. How long was I out?" I stretched a little more. The painkillers were sitting by a tall glass of water on the nightstand. Since my arm was on fire, I didn't hesitate to take them.

"Not long," Esme said. "It's only mid-morning. Alice is making you both some breakfast. Would you like to shower?"

After the large gulp of water I had taken with the painkillers, a warm shower sounded very welcoming. "I will have a quick one, then we really should leave." I got to my feet without much dizziness.

It had always been my plan. I didn't want to over stay our welcome. At least until I was able to think. Being in a house of vampires wouldn't have helped one bit.

Our suitcase was propped up on the leather sofa, so I dug out a few essentials for my shower, and laid out clothes for Zoe once I had found some of my own.

Alice came in with the food before I could take off for the shower. She set a tray filled with food on the bed. "I wasn't sure what either of you liked, so I made up a bit of everything."

Zoe set down the iPad and crawled across the bed to inspect the beautiful scent that was wafting up the room. My stomach growled.

"Eat," Alice said taking my clothes out of my hand. "The shower isn't going anywhere."

After a slight hesitation, I sat on the edge of the bed. Several plates of food were crammed onto the tray.

Toast; bagels; bacon; pancakes; fruit; and waffles.

My mouth watered as I watched Zoe pile a little of everything onto a separate plate.  
"Eat," Alice prompted again.

Without further thought, I copied my sister. It was blissful. My last meal had been at a diner on the way to Forks, which tasted like garbage compared to Alice's exquisite breakfast menu.

"For someone who probably hasn't eaten food in decades, you make a pretty good meal," I said after swallowing her melt-in-your-mouth pancakes.

"It's all so yummy," Zoe chimed in as she stuffed another waffle in her mouth. I rolled my eyes. She didn't pick up her manners from me that was for sure.

Alice smiled modestly, before ducking out of the room.

When she came back, she was holding a plastic cup with a lid and straw in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. The plastic cup was a solid color, so I couldn't see the contents inside, but from Zoe's reaction I could tell what it was.

Alice handed me the coffee cup and Zoe the plastic one.

I watched in astonishment as the vampires didn't even seem bothered by the blood while Zoe sipped away. My uneasiness faded as I drank from my own cup.

"How do you_ do_ that?" I uttered.

"Years of self-control," Esme answered. "It takes practice, but I believe any of our kind can be the same if they just tried."

"It's easier when you have lived among people for as long as we have," Alice said. "They remind us of our humanity and the emotions that come with it. It's easier to control the thirst when you think of all the human friends we have known over the years."

Zoe's eyes shifted toward me with a guilty stare, but I shook my head an inch in warning. For some reason, I was afraid to let them know that Zoe's blood supply didn't always come from a donated bag.

"I guess it's like the difference between vegetarians and those who eat meat," I said as if nothing had happened. Alice or Esme didn't remark on my little exchange with Zoe, but I was sure they saw.

"Exactly," Alice said. "I suppose we are like vegetarians of sorts, but in the most opposite way possible compared to the human definition."

Zoe was being quiet. She finished her blood and pushed her food away. The conversation was making her feel guiltier than she already did.

"Well, I'll take that shower now," I said getting to my feet. "Zo, you wanna come and wash up?"

Zoe hopped off the bed and hurried out of the room.

"Thank you for the spread, it really was amazing," I said hurriedly, and then followed Zoe into the bathroom. I locked the door and took sanctuary in the large bathroom once again.

While Zoe brushed her teeth at one of the sinks, I took a moment to inspect myself in the mirror.

I did a double take.

As white as paper; I could have passed as a vampire. My eyes were a little bloodshot and as I examined myself further, I inspected the bruise that had caused so much attention. Lifting my hair, I saw that the red-head vampire's fingers seemed to be imprinted into my skin. The sight was worse than it had been the previous morning.

I felt along my head and winced when I touched the spot where I must have hit my head when I was attacked. The pain was a lot duller than it had been, but my arm was still on fire, despite the painkillers.

I looked at the bandage. I was tempted to open it up and see the damage for myself, but Zoe had finished brushing her teeth and I didn't want her to see again.

While Zoe got dressed, I got into the shower and enjoyed the warm water against my skin.

-x-

Once Zoe and I had finished in the bathroom, the guest bed room had been cleaned, with the bed freshly made up, and the breakfast tray and cup of blood nowhere to be seen.

It felt good to be clean, with fresh clothes, and my teeth brushed. I braided Zoe's hair, while I left my own to dry naturally. A lame attempt to hide the awful bruise on my neck.

If Zoe had already seen, which I was sure she had, she hadn't said anything.

After putting all our stuff back into the suitcase, I zipped it up and checked the room for anything left behind. "Do you have Rory?" I asked Zoe. She held up her beloved elephant. "The iPad?" Zoe looked around the room and picked it up from the nightstand. "All right then, let's go."

Zoe helped me pull the suitcase down off the sofa and opened the bedroom door ahead of me. The house seemed silent as we reached the stairs. Before I could drag the case down, it was lifted out of my hands.

"I'll get this; you concentrate on getting yourself down the stairs in one piece." Edward was glancing down at me with an amused smile lingering on his face. I made to grab the suitcase, but he glided down the stairs before I could even blink.

"What was that supposed to mean?" I said through clenched teeth.

"Let's just say Emmett was right when he said you were a magnet for danger," Edward said from the bottom of the stairs. Zoe headed down after him, while I huffed in my anger.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning you have two left feet," Edward said trying not to laugh.

A warmth of blush spread across my face. Although I seemed to have out grown it, my whole childhood had been littered with accidents. Mainly falling over my own feet.

I stomped down the rest of the stairs like a child. "See, one piece." I fanned my hand downward and out. Edward was still trying not to laugh.

I took the suitcase handle from him and rolled it towards me. "I don't know how you knew that, but I would have managed myself."

"Trust me, Bella, you needed the help," Alice said. She was sitting on the bench by the glossy grand piano.

Sucking in a breath, I let Edward's comments go. "Fine, if you say so," I said. "I wish everyone were here so I could say thank you in person, but we really do need to go. We should have left hours ago if we want to get somewhere before nightfall."

"Couldn't you wait a little while longer until Carlisle got back? I know he really would like to say goodbye," Esme said appearing from nowhere.

The hopeful tone in Esme's voice made me feel guilty. She was so sweet, so kind. She reminded me strongly of my own mother. I looked away. "I'm sorry," I said. "You have been so welcoming. And we are both so grateful you put us up for the night and took care of us, but we really must leave."

"Oh," Esme said, disappointed.

"Tell the others goodbye from us," I said.

"The mutts wouldn't come here looking for you," Edward said. "If that is what you are afraid of."

"It's not the wolves," I said avoiding anyone's gaze. "It's not anything really." I looked up. Everyone was watching me cautiously. I sighed. "Look. For two years I've had it in my mind that…_ vampires _are something to fear. But now I am trying not judge you completely on your nature. I would be a hypocrite if I let your nature influence how I feel about being here with you. I fought against my father for that very reason. He didn't understand Zoe and judged her on it. I don't want to do the same here."

The eyes on me were intense. I had said too much about my father. Even Zoe was looking at me with questions on her face. She didn't know that she was the reason I had a fight with Charlie.

I stared at the floor, but I could still feel the prodding eyes, and silent questions.

"We understand," Esme said drawing the attention away from me. I couldn't have been more grateful. "It must be hard to let anyone in, let alone all of us."

"You have amazed us that you stayed in the first place," Alice said. "If its space you want, then you could go to Port Angeles. That way we could be there quickly if you need us."

I could feel all eyes on me again.

Zoe peeked up at me. She wanted to stay. I swallowed my pride and nodded. "We'll go to Port Angeles until I decide what to do."

"I'll bring your car around." Edward took the suitcase off me before I could say anything else further.

Once he had disappeared through the front door, I sat on the stairs while we waited for him to come back.

"You could still see your father, you know," Esme said as she sat next to me. "I'm sure he would be more than delighted to see you again."

I tried to swallow the guilt. If Charlie ever did find out I was here and hadn't been to see him, then our relationship would have been pushed to breaking point. But I tried to convince myself that it was for the better.

"He was the reason we were here in the first place, but now it sounds like a bad idea to see him," I said, with a hint of regret. "I'm sure he's doing fine without me, anyway."

"You weren't visiting just to catch up with him," Alice observed. "You wanted his…help?"

"Help?" I pondered. I hadn't thought of it that way. "Maybe. In hind sight, I don't think Charlie was the best person to go to, no matter the reason I was dropping by."

I wasn't sure what I expected Charlie to do. He was a man of the law and he had already proved he wanted nothing to do with anything non-human. My fists clenched as I tried to push away a memory that I swore not to visit. I had already forgiven Charlie for that, but I didn't want to bring back all the ill feelings I had previously held towards my father for abandoning us when I needed him the most.

A wash of calmness trickled through my body. It was like someone had poured tranquility into me, exiling all the bitter feelings I had towards my father at that moment.

When I looked up in a peaceful daze, Jasper was leaning against the piano with a small smile on his face. It was the first I had seen on him.

"You're doing this," I said. "How?"

"You have your secrets, we have ours," he replied, but the small smile didn't disappear.

"Touché!" I laughed, giddy with calmness. The front door opened and Edward dangled my car keys in front of him.

"Rosalie gave it another once over, so it's ready to go," Edward said as I got to my feet.

I went to grab the keys off Edward, but he pulled them back. "We have no idea what the wolves are thinking, so we feel it is not safe for you to drive off on your own. We'll get you both to Port Angeles in one piece."

"I don't think so," I said trying to grab the keys.

"It is safer," Esme agreed. "The Quileute's may have changed their mind about your sister. They won't meet us to talk. They don't have a treaty with her. To them, it's their duty to protect what they feel is a threat."

"She is just a child!" I protested.

"They won't see her as a child. She is unknown, which is a threat either way," Alice said. "We will see you out of town. I doubt they would follow you into the city."

"This is ridiculous!" But I knew they were speaking with more logic than I was thinking. "Fine, but I can manage once we are out of Forks."

Alice walked Zoe and me out onto the porch. "I took the liberty to program all our numbers into your phone, so you have no excuse not to call when you get to the motel." She gave me a light hug.

"We'll call when we find somewhere to stay," I promised.

"Take care," Esme said before she embraced both Zoe and I at the same time. "Be in touch soon, okay?"

"Thank you for allowing us to spend the night," I said. I was so caught up in everything, that their nature was nearly forgotten.

Edward was waiting at the bottom of the steps. "Do you need assistance down the porch steps? I wouldn't want you to break your neck."

I gave him a cold look, but then I smiled. Alice and Zoe laughed as I made a show of taking the porch steps as slow as possible. I flared my eyebrows at Edward, showing I made it down safe, but he just smirked.

"Bye, Zoe," Alice called. Zoe waved and gave smiles to everyone as she hopped into her car seat. Edward took the driver's seat without asking, which left me with shotgun.

As Edward started the car, I noticed Rosalie and Emmett standing by the garage where they had kept my car.

Emmett gave us a huge grin and a wave, but Rosalie just stared indifferently before taking off into the trees. I watched from the wing mirror as Emmett disappeared after her.

"Friendly," I murmured.  
Edward glanced through the rear view mirror, but didn't say anything. "Are you sure you don't want to see your father before we leave?"

"Positive," I answered.

I closed my eyes as we drove. I didn't want to see the rest of Forks. I just wanted to forget I had ever lived there once upon a time.

"Forks is a funny name for a town," Zoe commented after a few minutes of silence.

I laughed. "I think I said the same thing at some point. I wonder why they named if after eating utensils."

"Maybe 'Knives' was already taken," Edward said and Zoe laughed.

"Or spoons," she said with a giggle.

"Or plates," I said joining in.

"Cups!" Zoe yelled in delight.

"Bowls," Edward added.

"Pots!" It was if Jasper was in the car, as my emotions were still leveled out with calmness. I found myself smiling genuinely for the first time in so long.

"Pans!"  
"Spatula!" My mind was racing through all the kitchen utensils I could think of. As the car sped up, the atmosphere seemed to shift. Edward had stiffened in the seat next to me. His face had turned to stone, his hands tight on the wheel.

"God dammit!" Edward cursed, pressing his foot harder on the gas.

"You can't name a town that, silly!" Zoe said, unaware something was wrong.

"What's happening?" I whispered, but I knew the answer.

"Hold on tight," Edward said as he pushed the car to the limit. "They just couldn't leave it alone!"

A unmistakable wolf howl bellowed around us.

"Crap!" Glancing back, Zoe was shaking in her seat.

"They've come for me," she whispered, her eyes wide in horror.

"Over my dead—"

We swerved to avoid something. Edward was cursing furiously under his breath as he tried to gain control of the car. "One of you take the car and get them out of here!" For a minute I thought Edward was talking to Zoe and me.

But I quickly realized the others must have followed us through the trees.

Edward slammed on the breaks and my whole body snapped forward.

"Are you both okay?" His tone was like steel, but his face softened as he met my eyes, before checking Zoe in her car seat.

I nodded stiffly. "What is it?"

"A road block!"

I squinted through the window, but it was empty.

"Wolves?"

"Yes. Some in human form," Edward said. "They want to talk."

"Then let's talk," I said determinedly. "Either way they will not touch my sister. This ends right here, right now!"

Edward started the car up again. "There is a dead-end around the corner. We can meet them there."

I bit my lip nervously, glancing back at Zoe. She looked so fragile cowering in her car seat. "If they such as look at her in the wrong way…"  
Edward lent over to the glove-box and fished out the gun that Charlie had left me before he stormed out on us, but had almost forgotten about. "Here, just shoot them," he said.

My heart did a mini jolt at the sight of the weapon and I almost laughed.

"Don't tempt me," I said taking the gun and storing it back in the glove-box.

"Don't worry, we are better than guns," Edward said with ease. "Neither of you will be harmed." And he meant it.

Edward parked my car at the side of a muddy road with only trees ahead. The clearing was empty, but within seconds the rest of the vampires came into view.

"The wolves?"

"Hidden," Edward scoffed. "They will show once they get the orders to."

"Orders?"

"The alpha," Edward told me. "The Commander- in- Chief that has the final say in any decisions the mutts make as a pack."

"So much to learn," I whispered. "Golden eyed vampires…werewolves…"

I hoped that the list wouldn't ever grow. But I was learning not to be surprised at anything that landed in my life.

"You are the first human I've met who has known about us," Edward said thoughtfully. The anger in his voice was being whittled out as he spoke. "You've taken this in your stride. Even the wolves. You seem to be dealing with it fairly well."

I wasn't sure if Edward thought that as a good thing, or if he thought I was stupid to not be terrified of them.

"I still have my reservations," I said slowly, choosing my words carefully. "I was so overwhelmed last night. The wolves and then you guys. Trust me; it occurred to me that you were treating us like Hansel and Gretel. Being nice to us, fattening us up… before eating us." Edward chuckled, shaking his head. "But your eyes are somewhat easier to trust."

"Hansel and Gretel got away alive," Edward recalled. "But in this story, the wolves are more like the witch than we are. We want peace and to do what is right for you both."

"This is what I meant when I said I needed space to think," I began to say, but Edward wasn't listening.

His attention was snapped away from me and focused on the trees in front of us. The other vampires stood at either side of the car.

"Esme will stay with Zoe," Edward said. "She will keep her safe. And if it comes to it, she will drive away with her. It's you they want to speak to. You don't have to." He sounded like he didn't want me to. But I needed to speak with them. They had to listen.

"I will be okay, I promise" I told Zoe, feeling the fear quivering off her. "Just stay here. Esme will keep you safe. Don't come out until I say so, okay?"

"I promise," Zoe said, stretching her hand and held out her pinky. I locked my own little finger with hers.

"Love you," I said.

"Love you, too," Zoe whispered. "To the moon and back."

I couldn't smile that time. I slipped out of the car, just as Esme replaced Edward in the driver's seat.

As I walked with the others to block the view of the car, I tried to rein in my anger. I would have only made the situation worse if I lost my temper.

But when I saw Jacob Black emerge from the trees in human form, I almost ran to attack him. "Easy," Jasper said as he filled me with calmness like before.

"No. Give me back my own emotions. I will behave," I said. I didn't want to do this with artificial emotions. It wouldn't have felt right.

Slowly, I began feeling the anger that had been weighing on me the minute I knew the wolves were back. But I was in control.

Behind Jacob were several of the magnificently huge wolves that I had seen the night before. Even in wolf form I could see that they were excited, like a bunch of puppies exploring the world for the first time. But these dogs were no puppies.

Lastly, a female followed in after Jacob. She was in human form, too.

"Is she the alpha?" I questioned.

"She wishes," Jacob replied as he came closer. "Bella, I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am. I never meant to hurt you!"

"Too late to apologize," I spat. "You were aiming for my sister. My _sister_, Jacob!"

Jacob recoiled. Several of the wolves growled at my words.

"Yes," I said addressing them all. "My sister."

"A blood sucker!" the girl spoke. She had a sneer of disgust on her face. My mind strayed back to the gun in the glove-box.

I tried to wipe that thought immediately from my mind, in case I actually acted on it.

"Half human, half vampire," I corrected as calmly as I could muster.

"Who cares? She is still an abomination," the girl growled. A few wolves snarled with her, as if in agreement.

"Listen to me, you little bitch," I said, my vision almost red with anger.

"I'm liking this human a hell of a lot more," I heard Emmett say at the same time as Alice said proudly, "Good girl!"

I ignored their comments. "You fear the unknown, that's fine. But if you want to kill Zoe, then you have to kill me first." I addressed the girl first, then Jacob, who didn't seem to know what to do, and lastly, I mustered the courage to stare down each of the wolves.

I could feel the tension rise.

"Zoe is half human, half vampire. She is a hybrid, just like you all are. She was born, just like you all were. She had no choice! She is a child, merely two years old!" I spat the last part at the girl, but it was if I hadn't talked at all.

If looks could have killed, I would certainly have been dead. She had as much ire on her face as I was feeling.

"We do not kill people," the girl snarled. "She is a blood sucker by nature. Half human or not! She is a demon leech that needs to be put down! How many people has she killed already? Dozens, I bet!"

"Leah, that is_ enough_," Jacob said firmly. He was glowing with fury. Leah balked.

"You are not the boss of me, Jacob Black," she retorted like a five year old.

A huge black wolf stepped into view, his teeth bared at Leah.

The alpha.

He really was the commander-in-chief. Most of the wolves seemed to calm down in his presence. They were looking between the black one and the girl like a tennis match.

"Sam, you agreed that the child cannot be trusted, we can prove that," Leah said, a plead for the wolf to listen. There were a few barks from the others, which seemed to encourage the girl.

Turning away from the alpha completely, the girl stepped a little closer to us.

"There is a story among our people. A wife, who sacrificed her own life to stop a bloodsucker killing the rest of the people she loved," Leah said slyly. "She distracted the leech with its one weakness…"

The black wolf rumbled intensely, just as Edward turned toward the car. "Esme, go!"

I heard my car start, but I didn't turn to see it leave.

My heart did a flip. What was happening?  
My answer came when Leah pulled a small blade from her pants pocket and slit it down her arm.

"No," I whispered as I turned to make sure Esme and Zoe had gone, but Esme was flying towards us, racing towards something that was almost a blur to me.

Both the vampires and wolves reacted, but Leah stayed in one spot, her arm bleeding furiously.

Emmett and Jasper attempted to lunge at Zoe, while Edward and Alice were trying to catch her from the other side. Zoe ducked under them all and leapt several feet into the air, straight for the bleeding girl.

But she collided with a wolf in midair. Her screams of fury were ear shattering as the wolf pinned her to the ground.

The vampires reacted swiftly as they fought to free Zoe, who was screaming so hard, I thought she would pass out. Fear almost paralyzed me as I watched her trying to scratch, claw, and kick at the wolf who was snapping at her face.

Edward, Jasper, and Emmett managed to tackle the wolf from each side. As if it had been light as a feather, Emmett picked up the snarling wolf, and with a whine, the wolf flew into the air. It landed with an earth shattering thud.

Despite knowing it was actually a human, I barely gave the wolf's safety a second thought. Other wolves were attempting to swipe at Zoe, but before they could so much as touch her, Rosalie picked her up and clutched her into her chest, hissing at anything that tried to go near her.

The noise was unreal. Wolves snarled and growled at either side of us. But it was Zoe who seemed to be making the most noise.

Even in Rosalie's vice clutches, Zoe was kicking and screaming, still trying to get free to attack Leah. She was a girl possessed.

"Get off me!" Zoe screamed. "Get off me! I want her!" Zoe was crazed. Blood lust was taking over. She was losing control. If she had been any bigger, she would have taken Rosalie down easy.

The wolves were descending tighter into our group. This was their plan. They were going to kill her.

"Stop!" I cried. "Jacob, make them stop!" But Jacob wasn't even human. The russet wolf was growling at Leah.

Rosalie and I were shoulder to shoulder, with Zoe shielded away against her chest, her screams somewhat muffled. The others formed closer together, with us secured in the middle. But I could feel that the wolves were closer still. The noise alone was startling. I wasn't sure my legs were going to support me any longer.

I didn't know what the vampires' plan was, but I wished they would hurry up and do something.

"Take them both, Rose," Edward whispered. "After three…" Rosalie took my hand without even looking at me, but before anything could happen, she dropped my hand like it was something disgusting.

I glanced up at her, but her eye was on something else.

The tight group around me backed off a little and I was able to see what was going on.

Carlisle had appeared out of nowhere. Like the black wolf was the alpha for the pack, Carlisle seemed to be one for the vampires. And the wolves somehow recognized the presence Carlisle brought with him and they instantly backed off.

The alpha wolf rumbled louder than the others, an order, and the noise almost died down completely. Even Zoe stopped screaming.

Even in wolf form, the black wolf looked furious. He had lost control of his pack, in front of vampires no less. He turned to Leah, who was still human, and still bleeding.

One powerful, sharp yip and the alpha sent Leah a warning, which was clear as day: _back off now, I'll deal with you later_. The girl twitched, as if she really wanted to protest, but she stormed off into the trees, before she took flight and turned into a huge grey wolf.

The alpha turned away from his pack, and faced Carlisle, as if waiting for him to speak.

"The girl is young," Carlisle said pointing to Zoe in Rosalie's arms. "We can help her. We can teach her how to live like we do. There is no need for war and bloodshed. She is still half human. She can live better than us, if she chooses to. If you extend the treaty to protect her, then we would take full responsibility for her."

With none of the wolves human any more, the question of how he would reply bubbled to my lips just as Edward spoke.

"We can't be sure," Edward said. His tone was flat, detached.

I frowned. Glancing around, no one else seemed to be as confused as I was. Was he somehow translating for the wolf? Edward went on before I could question it out loud. "The girl cannot be trusted around humans. We witnessed her lack of control."

"That stupid bitch set her up," I interjected. "She could have not only got Zoe killed, but herself. And she would have deserved it." A few wolfs snarled at me, but I couldn't hold my tongue.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rosalie smirk, and I heard someone chuckle next to me.

"I assure you, if I had been aware of the reason as to why Leah insisted on joining Jacob in human form, I would have stopped her coming at all," Edward continued in a monotone. "But the fact still remains that the hybrid craves human blood. She cannot be trusted near our people."

My fingers dug into my palms so hard. I tried to keep myself from yelling again. I would definitely have made it worse if I pissed off the alpha.

"We have made negations before, for our newest family members, so I beg you allow us to do the same with Zoe," Carlisle said calmly. "We can teach her how to live like us. We will take full responsibility for her."

The red wolf stood forward, his muzzle drawn back, teeth bared. He growled furiously at the alpha. The alpha growled back, but the red one squared up to him, before lowering himself in a defensive pose. They circled, almost like a dance, around the small clearing. The others watched on with excitement, their eyes following the two wolves as they growled it out.

"What's happening?" I whispered.

"Jacob is fighting Sam for the final say," Edward told us, his tone suddenly normal and his eyes trained on the wolves. "The pack is in two minds. Some are for giving Zoe a chance. The rest…" Edward met my eyes, but didn't say anything.

"What will happen if they decide against her?"

Alice held my hand and squeezed lightly. "We won't let anything happen to her. Besides, do you honestly think a bunch of adolescent dogs can take us on? We were about to kick their butts until Carlisle came along." I could tell she was trying to placate me, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything.

I looked away from the wolves completely. There growls and rumbling was enough, never mind having a ring side view of what was essentially a fight about whether to allow my sister to live.

I focused on Zoe. She was quiet, buried into Rosalie's chest. Her shoulders were heaving gently as she cried. My heart was breaking, but I was afraid my human warmth would make it worse for her.

I tore my eyes away from her, too.

"How do you know this?" I questioned Edward, trying to distract myself. "How can you speak for the wolf?"

Edward smirked. "Like Jasper said, you have your secrets, we have ours."

"Don't tell me, you are the vampire equivalent to Cesar Millan? The Dog Whisperer?"

There was a chorus of laughter within our small group. Edward just continued to smirk, which was becoming insanely irritating.

"I'll figure it out. I pick up on things quickly," I told him confidently.

Edward looked as if he had a smart-assed retort on his lips, but his face suddenly went blank.

I quickly turned to see what was happening with the wolves. They were silent and only the alpha had stepped forward. I searched for Jacob.

He was standing apart from his pack. His big brown eyes were focused on me. He bowed his head, a wolf equivalent of a nod.

I was dizzy with relief.

"Giving the fact the girl was provoked," Edward translated for Sam, "I will consider your offer to take care of the girl. However, if one person in Forks, or the Rez goes missing, we will have no choice. But for now, we call a truce. We will not harm the girl."

"Thank you," Carlisle said sincerely. The alpha turned and the other wolves retreated back into the trees.

The red wolf was the last one, aside from the alpha. Jacob bowed his head again, before he ran off after the others. His alpha followed without as much as a glance back.

My whole body seemed to deflate. The adrenaline melted; I felt exhausted.

When we were by the car, Rosalie passed my sister into my arms. Zoe began to sob heavily into my shoulder. "I'm sorry," she cried. "I broke my promise. I'm a bad person. I'm a monster, like she said. I'm sorry!"

"No," I said firmly, anger waling up inside me. "You are not a monster. Don't ever think that!"

"I just want to go," Zoe sobbed. "I just want to leave!"

Several pairs of golden eyes were staring at us, waiting for my decision. Part of me felt guilty. They had helped us in more ways than I could ever repay them. But almost the second we had arrived, trouble had followed us.

I needed to do what I should have done the minute I had woken up at their house.

"We are going now, sweetheart." I looked towards the trees where the wolves had left. "And we won't ever be back."

The wolves had decided not to touch Zoe on the condition that no lives were lost by her hand. But I had seen enough bloodshed to question whether Zoe was able to sustain her control enough to not kill. If the others hadn't been there, she would have done a much better job at trying to kill Leah. And Zoe would have most certainly ripped to shreds.

The thought almost buckled me to the ground.

"I know I owe you, but I just can't do this right now," I said stiffly as I placed Zoe into her car seat, then got into the car and stepped on the gas. Not a vampire or wolf was in sight as we exited Forks.

Zoe's sobs continued as I drove on, but when they eventually stopped; my own tears began streaking down my cheeks.

My little world where Zoe and I existed happily was falling apart before I could grasp onto it. Everything was changing and I was too human to keep up with it. I was failing as a sister, her only protector, but worse; I was failing our mom, who had made me promise to keep her safe.

Everyone had a threshold of how much they could handle, and I was definitely crossing mine. Vampires, werewolves, and my sister constantly losing control. It was all a little much.

I was drowning in a world where I barely belonged.

* * *

_Wow! Bad decision, Bella! That's all I'm saying! ;)_

_I can finally explain Zoe's age. Okay, so it's really lame with how I have aged her, but I needed to twist how hybrids aged from the book. For every six months, Zoe grew to what would seem to be one physical year. It has been two actual years since she was born, but that gives her the appearance of a four year old. Is my math correct? Lol. So she is only two years old, but actually looks four. However, Bella will mention at some point that she has noticed that Zoe has slowed her aging to the point where she is growing at a human rate. Does that make sense? I know it's ridiculous, but I said before that I don't want it to be the same as the book, where she would grow so fast. I know it's not cannon with the book, so I hope that it doesn't put anyone off the rest of the story._

_Wow! Sorry for the long note! Like last chapter, reviewers get a sneak peek for the next one! This won't happen EVERY time, but occasionally, when I have the next chapter written in advance._

_Thank you guys for reading!_

_-AThousandStars_


	5. Chapter 5: Motel

have one confession to make…The start of this chapter is partly recycled from one of my deleted stories. I came across it and thought it would go good for this story. Anyway, it's a short chapter, but I think it's an important one that will kick start the rest of the story.

I have a long A/N at the end, but you don't have to read it if you don't want to.

I own nothing Twilight.

Chapter Five 

Motel 

Just before midday I pulled over at a motel off the interstate between Port Angeles and Sequim. The parking lot outside the two story building was empty, which was its only appeal. The building was aged, with flaking walls, and with many windows boarded up from being smashed in at some point. It wasn't exactly five stars, but I knew it would have to do. I needed to refuel and clear my head. My thoughts were spinning out of control and I had no idea what we were going to do next.

I drove up to the main office building, which was separate from the row of rooms, and dug out my wallet and doubled checked I still had enough cash on me to pay for the room. Reassured that we were still good on money, I double checked Zoe was fast asleep before I slipped out of the car.

After she had drunk two more blood bags from the cooler in the trunk, Zoe fell asleep for the rest of the drive.

The door tinkered as I entered the main office. My nose wrinkled as I closed the door behind me. It smelled heavily of cigarette smoke. The walls were pasty yellow, with country side pictures hanging on each side.

I walked over to the front desk and rang the bell to wait for service. As I waited, every part of me wanted to turn around and leave. But a sleazy motel was better than somewhere more crowded and public.

Through the backroom I could hear a television blaring. I rang the bell twice more.

Eventually, someone wheezed through to the office.

"Okay, okay, no need to get your panties in a twist," a man's voice came. The scent of body odor and smoke offended my nose as he appeared in the doorway.

When he met my eyes, he did a double take. "Well, what can I do for you, my pretty?" His yellow teeth were on show as he pulled back his lips in what was his attempt of a smile. He ran his hand through his greasy, curly hair in a suggestive manner.

An involuntary shiver ran down my spine as I felt his eyes on me. "A single room, please," I said, clearing my throat. I was beginning to wonder if it was worth the risk finding somewhere more crowded after all.

"You can stay in my bed, if you like?" the man said with another smile.

I glared at him. "My own room would be better, thanks," I deadpanned.

The man screwed up his face and huffily grabbed a room key. He pulled out a book and slammed it on the desk. He opened it out where the ribbon was and grabbed a pen. He held it out to me. "You need to sign this," he said. "Cash or card?"

"Cash." I took the pen and wrote 'Amanda Logan' on the register. I picked up the key that was lying on the desk and handed the man a few twenty's. "We don't wish to be disturbed," I said, then turned and walked out without waiting for change.

Out in the fresh air, I gulped in as much of it as I could. I rubbed my head a little, trying to ignore the throbbing pain building in my left temple.

I got back into the car and drove closer to the room we were allocated.

Trying not to wake her, I scooped Zoe up and eased her onto the motel bed. The room was standard to any other we had stayed in. Ancient mint green wallpaper, which was peeling and faded, a small TV on the dresser opposite the queen sized bed in the middle of the room.

It was much cleaner than I had expected. A welcome surprise.

I retrieved our stuff from the car trunk, including Zoe's blood supply, and placed some of it in the small fridge that was against the wall opposite the door.

I lay down on the bed next to Zoe and rolled onto my side. I watched her breaths rise and fall softly, before I drifted off myself.

The sound of _Angry Birds_ woke me. Inhaling deeply, I sat up. The sun was still peeking through the half closed curtains, so I hadn't slept the day a way.

"Are you hungry, Zo?" I grabbed my purse sitting on the night stand and dug through it for my hairbrush. I used the small mirror near the door and tried to tease out the knotty mess that I had made while asleep. It was as if my hair went to a rave while I was napping.

"Zo? Are you hungry?" I asked again, glancing through the mirror.

"Mmm," she muttered, too engrossed in her game and only half listening.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," I said as I tugged the brush through my hair. Really, how did it get that bad? My mom used to say I looked like a cat had dragged me through a hedge backwards when I woke up. Sometimes, I thought she was right.

"Can we go to McDonalds?" Zoe asked.

"Um, no," I said as I tugged out the last of the knots and left it to hang down my shoulders. "How about Chinese?"

Zoe made a face.

"What? You like Chinese." I got my phone out and searched for nearby restaurants.

There were several nearby, so I picked the nearest one and pulled up their menu.

"I'll get us our favorites," I said. "And there is an ice cream place that we passed on the way here, so we can go there afterward. That sound okay to you?" Zoe would need to stay in the car, but it's was close to normality after her incident as I could create. I didn't want to feel like I was shutting her away because I didn't trust her around other humans.

Zoe's eyes lit up. "Birthday Cake flavor!"

"Blah," I said. "Chocolate chip mint all the way!"

"Yuck," Zoe said, drawing out the word as she screwed up her button nose. "Can I have gummy bears with mine?"

"You can have anything you want on yours," I promised. It was uplifting to see Zoe be more of her usual self. "Let's get dinner ordered first."

While I wrote down our Chinese order on the pad next to the bed, Zoe edged near the small fridge in the room. She looked at me, then the fridge, while she bit her lip. She looked exactly like me when I was deciding whether or not I wanted one last slice of pie at Thanksgiving.

Only this was completely different.

I pretended to write things down as I casually glanced towards her every now and then. She had already drunk three bags today already, which was way more than her usual.

Was she _that _hungry? I hadn't really understood how she felt when she was 'thirsty' when her cravings had been confined to donated blood. She had been drinking donated blood bags since she was born. It didn't seem any less normal than other newborns drinking from a bottle. But when she snapped and drunk from the source, it began to hit me that drinking from blood bags was almost like putting a band aid over a gaping wound. It just wasn't enough. She needed more, something that would subside her cravings completely. Fresh blood.

I had never denied her thirst, never stopping her from drinking blood. But lately, it was getting out of control and she went through blood bags more quickly than before.

Zoe looked torn. She opened her mouth several times, but closed it again with a swallow.

It was hard to watch her fight against her nature. It was like denying someone of water in a desert.

"It's okay," I said after several minutes. "If you need to drink, then it's best not to fight it."

Zoe seemed to relax after my approval. She didn't hesitate, turning towards the fridge and pulling out a blood bag.

Zoe removed the safety needle and sucked through the tube as if it were a straw. Despite seeing the red liquid swashing inside, I tried to think of it as any other drink.

While she fed, I dialed the Chinese restaurant number and listened to it ring as Zoe quickly finished her drink as if there was no tomorrow. Once it was done, a familiar look overcame her.

Something about her changed completely. I froze.

"Chinese Vista," a voice sounded in my ear. "Hello?"

"Zoe," I said softly, as I hung up on the voice. I dropped my phone back on the bed and watched as Zoe's hunger mounted.

The empty blood bag drifted to the ground. Once it settled by her feet, we both looked at it. I saw the hunger build in her eyes, stronger and stronger. They narrowed as she held her throat, as if she was gasping for air.

"Easy," I said cautiously. "Just take another blood bag. There are more in the fridge."

Zoe's eyes flared towards me. Her eyes were wild as she stared at me. My heart beat louder, as if inviting Zoe in further.

We stared at one another. Many emotions flickered through her, like a flip book; every page being different.

She had never hurt me before. But I suddenly got nervous.

I prayed the golden eyed vampires would find her, take her in, and raise her like them. I prayed that it would be quick. I prayed that she would one day forgive herself.

"Zoe," I said, my voice stiff. The craze in her eyes seemed to lighten as I spoke.

As if she had just woken from a nightmare, realization poured through Zoe. Her eyes filled with tears as she dug her fingers into her palms.

A rush of air filled my lungs as I basked in the small relief that she had somehow counted me out as her next feed.

With her attention drawn away from me completely, Zoe turned on the spot and reached for the fridge door. In one swift yank, the door was off its hinge and she threw it across the room.

With a shatter, it collided with the wall.

Before I could edge out of the room and leave my sister alone in the midst of her bloodlust, my phone rung loudly. As I glanced down at the flashing, vibrating phone, Zoe's attention snapped towards the door, the fridge filled with blood forgotten.

I picked up the phone, but at the same time, the door clicked as someone on the outside unlocked it.

I gasped, darting to the door, but I didn't quite make it before it swung open.

"Don't come in!" I yelled in warning.

Too late.

The sleazy front desk man walked into the room. He had a skin crawling smile over his face as he took me in. "Hello, darling," he said with a creepy smile. "How about a…"

When he noticed Zoe, a million emotions filtered over his unshaven face. "What the _hell_?" he uttered, his eyes darted between the blood bags in the fridge and the small, crazed looking child swaying on her feet in anticipation in the middle of the room.

Zoe was no longer my sister at that moment. She had a red stain around her mouth. Her eyes were huge, zeroing in on the man, almost in a trance as she stared at him. I could almost hear her thoughts…

_Blood…Blood…Blood. _It was written all over her pale face as she watched her newest victim.

"Get out of here!" I yelled at the man, but I knew it was a futile attempt. I felt sick, knowing that there was nothing I could do for the man. Even his life was worth sparing.

The man barely heard me as he watched Zoe unfreeze, and slowly walked toward him. Her eyes were fixed on the man's neck.

Tilting her head slightly, she drew closer to him. The man was entranced by her, yet terrified at the same time. Sweat was beading on his brow, his hands shaking.

I felt sorry for him. I wanted to save him, but I was as helpless as he was.

I gulped. I didn't want to watch this. I knew I couldn't stop her, I had to leave.

Shakily, I grabbed my phone and tried to ease passed them.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered as I slammed the door shut. As I walked away in a hurry, a gut wrenching scream touched my ears.

Guilt. It was a powerful emotion. I was almost buckled with it by the time I reached the edge of the parking lot.

Catching my breath, I sunk to the ground. I pressed redial on the phone and it was answered immediately.

"I need your help," I whispered, finally accepting that I couldn't do it on my own.

"We are almost there," Alice said sympathetically. "Stay where you are." I didn't even ask how she knew where we were as I hung up.

This had to end. I couldn't keep witnessing lives being taken so easily.

And I couldn't keep telling myself it was okay.

"Are you okay, Miss?"

I jumped. Getting to my feet, I turned to see a middle aged Asian woman walking towards me. She had a uniform that told me she was probably the maid.

My heart was hammering in my chest as I nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay, thank you," I said but even to my ears I sounded unstable.

"You look like you're about to collapse," the woman said, worry frowning her brow. "I can fix you some hot chocolate if you like? That's what my mother made me when I was sick." Just as I was about to decline, blood oozed out of the woman's nose.

"No," I whispered to myself.

The maid blinked before she touched her face. "Silly nose," she said with a sigh before she took a tissue out of her pocket.

"Do you have a car?" I asked her abruptly. The woman pinched her nose with the tissue over it, as she gazed at me quizzically.

"Yes," she answered.

"Good. Now get in it and go home. Just drive. Get away from here," I said hurriedly. The woman looked as if I was crazy.

"GO!" I yelled and she jumped, startled at my abruptness. "Please, just go home!"

I wasn't sure what it was, but the woman gave me one last look before she hurried around the main building, fishing her keys out as she went.

But she didn't make it.

A terrible scream echoed through the parking lot. Wide eyed, I watched as Zoe and the woman fell to the ground, entangled with one and other.

Something within me broke. I ran towards them, determination bubbling through me.

The woman's eyes, awash with fear and pain, locked onto mine as the life slowly drained from her face.

_Help me,_ she silently pleaded, her face racked with agony.

"Zoe!" I yelled. Zoe's back stiffened, but she didn't stop. "Zoe, listen to me. Get off her right now. You don't want to do this. Fight it, Zoe! You can overcome it if you just try!"

The woman whimpered.

"Look at the woman, Zoe," I said loudly. "_Look_ at her. She probably has children and a husband who are waiting on her getting home. Do you want her children to lose their mom, like we did?"

This reached Zoe. She sat up and turned, blood dripping down her chin. Guilt and regret warmed her lightly brown eyes towards a hint of humanity.

"Good girl," I said softly. "She is still alive, so we can still save her. Just ease up and get off her."

Zoe concentrated on me as she pulled herself to her feet. The woman was whimpering as Zoe backed away. "Good girl," I said again. "Go back to the room and lock the door. Don't open it unless it's me."

Zoe was dazed as she moved away from the woman. But when the woman cried, her attention snapped back to the freshly spilled blood.

Zoe lunged, but I caught her shoulders and held onto her with all my strength.

"Don't you _dare_," I yelled harshly, grasping her tight. "Get back into the room!"

Zoe's eyes flared. I had never spoken to her like that before. But I wasn't sorry, as it seemed have an effect on her. It was like a slap in the face, which seemed to pull her away from the drive that took over her once she had a taste for blood.

Slowly, the real Zoe seemed to etch back. Moving away from us, with a slightly sleepy look on her face, she gave the woman one last look before she took off towards the road.

"No," I yelled after her, but the woman made a terrible noise and I pulled my attention to what really mattered at that moment.

I fell to my knees by the maid's chest. I tore off my cardigan and pressed it against the gaping wound in her neck.  
"Shh," I cooed. "It's going to be okay. I have help coming. One of them is a doctor. Just hold on, okay?"

The woman's gaze was faint as I pressed her wound tighter. "Demon," she uttered.

"No," I cried. "No."

My cardigan was sodden with blood, but the wound just kept pumping more. "Come on," I said through gritted teeth. "Don't you dare die!"

"Demon," the woman repeated weakly, her eyes staring at me hauntingly. "Giết cô! Giết con quỷ!" She clutched my wrists tightly, her eyes pleading. "Mang cái chết. Giết cô trước khi quá muộn!"

"I don't understand," I said helplessly.

The woman gripped my wrist even tighter. "Kill her. Kill the demon. She brings death! Giết cô!"

"I'm so sorry," I sobbed. The woman let go of my arm. She knew I wasn't going to kill Zoe.

"Evil," the woman said as her gaze fell out of focus. The blood stopped flowing through the wound.

"_No_," I uttered. "No. Please!" I put more pressure on the wound, almost sitting on the woman as I did so. "No!" I yelled at her, tears falling onto her still face.

"Wake up!" I screamed before I started thrusting my hands on her chest. Up and down.

_Five…six…seven…_

All the basic first aid that I knew seemed to drain from my brain, but I knew I had to keep up the compression. But it was useless; I kept losing count.

After a few more thrusts, I unlocked my hands and tilted back the woman's bloody face, pinched her nose and blew into her mouth.

Over and over I tried to start her heart. I was frantic by the eighth time, pushing harder than necessary. "Wake up!" I yelled at her. "Live, please, just live!"  
Every part of me ached, but I couldn't give up. I wasn't going to let her die.

_Twenty…thirty…forty…_

_Breath…breath…_

"Breathe, God dammit!" I yelled as I banged on her chest like they did on TV shows. "Please just breathe!"

"She's gone, Bella," a voice said from behind me.

"No, she's alive," I sobbed. "She has to be alive."

Someone crouched by my side and placed a cool hand on my arm. "She's not. She's dead," the voice said. "Let her go peacefully."

"No," I cried. "I can't let her die. It's all my fault."

"You have to." A pair of white hands lay gently over my own. "Let her go." Slowly, I was pulled away from the woman. "There is nothing you could have done."

"I'm so sorry," I sobbed as I watched Carlisle pick up the body. "I'm so sorry!"

"Look at me, Bella," the same voice ordered. My eyes tore from the body and I turned slowly.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Edward said softly. "There is absolutely no need for your guilt. And it wasn't Zoe's fault either. Please believe that." My eyes dropped as I stared at my own bloody hands, but Edward pulled my chin back up.

"I tried to tell her to go," I whispered. "But she didn't make it in time."

"We are going to help her," Edward said. "You don't need to worry anymore, I promise."

"She told me to kill Zoe. She said she's evil. Giết cô!" I sobbed harder.

"It's okay," Edward soothed. "No one is going to kill her. We're going to make sure of that."

"Bella," Alice whispered. "Where is Zoe? We need to find her in case…"

Alice closed her mouth. I was shaking from the inside out. I looked at the blood on my hands. "In case she hurts someone else," I said in almost a daze. Tears dropped onto my bloody hands. I sniffed. "I yelled at her. She ran off."

"We will get her back," Rosalie said from above Alice and me.

"We will make sure she is safe," Alice said before she leapt to her feet. I watched them disappear in the same direction Zoe had run. Edward helped me to my feet.

"The bodies," I said, shaking myself a little.

"We will take care of them," Edward said as he led me to a room and opened the door.

"This is my mess," I said in protest, pulling away from Edward.

Edward took my hands in his and glanced down at me. "Bella, you asked for our help and this is what we are trying to do. Now let us take care of it all. You are covered in blood, so go shower. We will have Zoe back by the time you are done."

Edward let go of me just as Esme walked in. She smiled at me kindly before she led me into the bathroom and locked the door.

"Let's get you cleaned up," she said as she peeled my t-shirt over my head. "The others will be back in no time and we can head off."  
"Where to?" I asked as Esme helped me out of my jeans.

"We haven't quite decided yet," Esme said she started the shower. "But we have a few places we can stay where it will be remote enough for Zoe to detox."

Detox…like a drug addict.

I gulped back tears as I stepped into the warm shower, watching the maid's blood wash away into the drain.

-x-

_A/N:_ Although it doesn't seem like it, this was quite an important chapter. At least for Bella. She finally sees that she can't protect Zoe on her own and accepts the Cullen's help. The back story for when Zoe first lost control will come out in future chapters. But hopefully Bella can stop taking on the guilt and worry on by herself.

Also, the part where Zoe was able to ignore Bella to feed from and the part where she listened to Bella's reasoning after she had attacked the woman is important, but these things won't occur to Bella for a while… But keep them in the back of your mind.

I have a few things going through my mind and I wanted to ask any readers what they thought. Esme tells Bella that they are going to go somewhere for Zoe to control her blood lust. This won't happen for a few chapters, but things could pan out and they could stay in Forks. But this might cause Bella concern because of the wolves warning. So, where do you think they should go? I thought Alaska, but that would be obvious and I don't really want them to go there. I've done a bit of research of remote locations around the U.S. but I can't decide. Any thoughts?

The next chapter is going to be much longer. It's already written, so reviewers can get a sneak peek, but it won't be posted for a while because I need to fill in a plot hole that I realized while reviewing this chapter.

Hope you guys are having a good weekend!

-ATS


	6. Chapter 6: Guilt

I own nothing Twilight, but enjoy anyway!

Chapter Six

Guilt

In biology I learned that, on average, the human body can contain around ten pints of blood. I had watched enough medical TV shows to know that blood can be replaced if doctors get there quickly enough. But I also watched enough crime shows to know, that sometimes there is just too much blood spilled for the body to survive. Sometimes, the damage is irreversible. No amount of blood transfusions would help.

The first dead body I had ever seen was my mothers.

It was probably the most awful, heart-breaking, and downright scariest thing I had ever seen. Weeks afterward, all I saw when I closed my eyes was blood. It was everywhere. I would wake up sweating, before running to the bathroom to be sick. I almost went to find my old biology teacher to tell her she had been wrong. My mother had way more than roughly ten pints of blood in her body. There was so much blood that night; there was no way all of it had come from one human being.

Before my mother fell pregnant with Zoe, I used to get sick at the sight of blood. A boy in my second grade class had a nosebleed in the middle of art one day. I ended up keeping him company in the nurse's office because I took one look at the runny red stuff flooding his face, and passed out. The kids used to tease me, and every time anyone so much as got a paper cut, they'd deliberately come and show me and I would get all queasy and be on the verge of fainting again.

Witnessing so much bloodshed, and dealing with blood bags every day quickly made me immune to the sight of blood. I wouldn't throw up or pass out, no matter how much horror was shoved in front of me.

But it wasn't as easy to become immune to the endless guilt, and the sheer ache in my stomach every time I had to deal with yet another body to clean up after.

Just as I was getting over the blood filled nightmares, they were replaced by the faces of the lives I had watched being taken away.

They were almost harder to get over than my own dead mother.

And with each body, the guilt grew. Mostly, on good days, I was able to screw the guilt up and shove it in a corner of my brain. But on others, it was all I could think about and it ate away at me like an infection that was spreading fast.

As I sat waiting in the motel room, I felt like I was drowning in guilt. It was making me queasy.

"I need fresh air," I said abruptly, breaking the silence as I jumped to my feet. "If you won't let me help, then I'll wait outside." I didn't wait for a reply and strode out of the room after grabbing my coat lying on the bed. I didn't need to turn to know Esme and Edward had both followed, but they didn't try and shut me back in, which I appreciated.

It was silent in the parking lot. The only thing left was my car, which was still parked out side the room in which the manager had met his end.

_Was the room now soaked in his blood?_ I wondered morbidly. What did they do with his body? Were they going to torch the motel, a method I had resorted to while getting rid of Zoe's accidents.

What about the woman? Were they burying her?

Her eyes...The fear.

I had never gotten that close to one of..._them _before. I hadn't seen the light go out of their eyes. I had never had to listen to them plead for their life.

I wanted to scream, I wanted to run...I wanted to get as far away from the motel as I could, but I couldn't move an inch. I couldn't just leave my sister. I couldn't just abandon her, leave her with strangers. I couldn't.

But I wanted to.

Just a tiny part of me wanted to leave and never look back. It was too much for me. I was human. This was out of my world. Dealing with drained bodies, having to dispose of them, burn them like animals. Leaving their families wondering...praying each day for their safe return. I didn't want that on my conscience any more. I didn't want that burden on my shoulders. These vampires would do a better job at keeping her safe. They knew what she was going through. They could teach her things I couldn't even imagine. She would be better off with them, instead of me slowing her down.

Zoe didn't need me. In a few years she might even forget my existence.

I looked at my car for a long time. The urge to get in and drive away was almost overwhelming.

I pictured myself getting in the car, driving away. I pictured what my life would be without having Zoe there every day. I tried to squeeze an image of my future that didn't contain my sister.

But nothing was there. Just blackness. There was no future without her.

She_ was _my future.

My lips were trembling, my legs quivering. I was gasping for breath before I knew I was even crying.

Firm hands wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me in, holding me as I let every bottled up emotion that I had been holding onto for two years go.

I didn't know how long I had cried, but when I was done, I felt a surge of familiar tranquility, peacefulness. Artificial emotions flooded me and I was grateful for the relief.

Sniffing and wiping my face, I stepped back from the chest I had buried myself in to cry. The shirt was wet, but the false peacefulness made it so I couldn't even feel embarrassed. "Sorry," I muttered as I wiped my face again.

Edward looked down at his sodden shirt and shrugged. He watched me with wary eyes, but didn't say anything.

"I hear it's good to just let it all out," Esme said gently. "It must be nice to let out all your emotions like that. Feeling better?"

I gave her a watery, slightly dazed smile. "Much," I murmured. "I'm just sorry you had to see it. Where's Jasper?" I knew it was him that was letting me feel all peaceful. "How does he do it, anyway?" If I couldn't be of use, then I could distract myself with questions. I turned to Edward."And how did you communicate with the wolves earlier?"

"I thought you said you would figure it out yourself," Edward said with a crooked smile.

My eyes narrowed. "It's been a long day. At least give me a hint!"

"Edward and Jasper are gifted," Esme told me. "Alice, too."

"Gifted?" I stood a little straighter, paying closer attention.

"Some of us have an extra ability," Edward said. They allowed me a few seconds to swallow that. I quickly pondered over everything in my mind.

"Okay, I get Jasper's," I said slowly. "That is obvious. He can feel our emotions." Esme smiled in confirmation. Edward raised his eyebrows. Now his gift I had to figure out. "You…" I probed Edward with a long stare. "You're obviously not a dog whisperer…"

I aired my thoughts out loud. "That alpha wolf is a person, but earlier he was in wolf form." Esme and Edward nodded. "Therefore, he could not speak in the way he is used to. _But_," I said with emphasis. The answer was dancing on my tongue. "He could think. That's what you were…translating. Thoughts." It was like a light was switched on in my brain. My eyes flared. "Oh, God! You can read minds!"

Esme laughed. "Very good, Bella. You caught on quicker than most of us!"

I could feel my eyes widen and my body go stiff. I tried to remember every last thought I ever had around Edward. Were they stupid? Embarrassing? God, he must have thought I was a total freak. My mind wasn't a place I cared to share with anyone else. It was dark and twisty. A scary place, which even I barely liked to sit in too long, if I could help it.

"Yes, I have the misfortune to read minds. Hence how I was able to translate Sam's thoughts."

"How does it work? The mind reading? Is it everyone, or humans, or just vampires? Or, hey, just werewolves?" I was rambling. I rambled when I was flustered.

"All of the above," Edward replied. "Well, all of the above with the exception of two beings in the entire world."

Esme's lips twitched, fighting a smile.

"Two beings?"

"I've been able to read the mind of everyone I've ever met, or walked by, or being in the vicinity of. It's not the easiest gift to manage, and there are times when I resent being able to listen to people's every whim and desire." His tone was marred with deep distaste. Edward composed himself as he went on, "However, with these two, I've never tried so hard to force myself to listen. Only, I hit a brick wall each time. It's blissful, yet absolutely the most frustration I've felt in many years." Edward's tone turned to annoyance as he gazed at me; an intense stare that was a little unnerving.

"These two beings," I said slowly, putting together the puzzle with both Edward's stares and Esme's silent amusement, "they came into your life recently?"

"Very recent."

"And they just happen to have the same blood?" I was feeling a lot more comfortable within my own thoughts at that moment.

"They share_ half _the same blood," Edward corrected. "But I have a feeling that the brick wall they both possess in their minds isn't about blood."

"Oh," I said, surprised. "Then what would be the cause for this brick wall?"

"A gift," Esme said excitably.

"You think Zoe's gifted?" I uttered.

"Yes, and I think she has somehow…_bestowed_ it upon you," Edward said with a frown.

Gifted. My sister was gifted! Wow. "Gifted, how?"

"We think that maybe she is some sort of mental shield," Edward told me. "Which is to say that she can protect her mind from various other gifts. Like mind reading, for example."

"There is only one person who can confirm it, but I don't think Zoe should meet him yet," Esme said. She and Edward exchanged looks, but I was too busy being an excited sister to interpret what it meant.

"And how has she been able to protect my mind?" I was glad her mind was somewhat protected, and I couldn't help but be relieved that somehow mine was, too.

"Your guess is as good as ours," Edward said. "Out of all the people that are silent…" Edward shook his head.

"What about Alice? You said she was gifted, too." Since my mind was protected, I was relaxed enough to think about all the possibilities, no matter how silly they seemed.

Was flying reading too much into vampire folk lore?

"Alice is psychic," Esme said. "She can see the future."

I felt myself turn red. "This morning," I said slowly. "She saw that I was going to tumble down the stairs with the suitcase and you 'heard' it in her mind and prevented it." I turned redder still. "Oh God!" I closed my eyes.

"I think the words you are looking for is, "Thank you!"" Edward said with his annoying smirk. I threw him a cold look and kept my lips buttoned.

"Don't worry, Bella, you'll get used to living with the extra abilities in the household," Jasper said, appearing from nowhere.

"New rule," I said, my heart pounding. "Don't sneak up on the human!"

"It was too easy." Jasper seemed more relaxed around me, but not fully so.

"Alice and Rose found Zoe," Edward told me.

"Oh God, where is she?"

"She's okay," Jasper said. "Or she will be. She needs her sister, though. She won't listen to the girls."

"Take me to her!"

"Just a second," Esme said and she hurried towards my car. When she came back she had Zoe's backpack. "There's clothes in there...Just in case you run into any humans. I'd imagine they would be panicked if they saw her covered in blood."

"I hadn't thought of that," I said numbly, almost overwhelmed with gratitude.

Esme smiled, before she disappeared from the parking lot.

Jasper led the way through the trees, but I knew he was only there in case he needed to calm me down again. He had given me back my own emotions, and although I was still feeling quite raw, I was in control.

"No one blames you," Edward said after a few minutes trek through a muddy trail. "For any of it."

I ignored Edward as I concentrated on not falling over.

It was freezing, even with my coat on. Everything was green and I was getting mud all up my jeans. I knew I was slowing them down, but I didn't want to do that super vampire run thing. I wanted to get there the human way.

"I might not be able to read your mind, but I can read...you," Edward went on. "I saw..." He cleared his throat. "You wanting to leave earlier...I could see that's what crossed your mind. It would have been understandable if you had. No-one would blame you if you wanted to get away from all of this."

I stopped dead in my tracks. Both vampires turned to look at me.

I stared at the blond and the bronze haired vampires as they gazed back at me with cautious expressions. "The day Charlie met Zoe and understood vaguely what she was," I began, not really knowing where the story was heading, but I went with it. "Do you know what he wanted to do?" Neither of them opened their mouths, but it was obvious that they had figured out the answer. "He wanted to..._dispose_ of her. "She killed your mother, Bella," he told me. "It's only a matter of time before she kills someone else...or worse...you.""

I sucked in a breath to keep my voice emotionless. I hadn't revisited this memory in a long time.

"He was wrong. But before Zoe was born I was all for...what Charlie had suggested. She was just as much of a monster as her father was. Zoe's existence was killing our mom before she was even born. I hated her, even though it wasn't her fault and it wasn't by choice what she was becoming. But the minute I saw her...held her...even with our mom dead, I didn't blame her any more. I loved Zoe more than I ever thought was possible. I knew then I would do whatever it took to protect her. When she first killed a human, I was so terrified. I had no idea what to do, but I couldn't just abandon her. I had to deal with the mess and carry on. It was awful to say the least and it hasn't gotten easier, but I've somewhat adapted and somehow learned how to take each day as it comes, no matter what gets thrown at me."

I took another breath, trying to read their reactions, but it was if I was telling them how I occasionally have to clean up garbage after it spills on the floor accidentally. It was oddly comforting.

I went on, "It's been six months since she first took a life. And I hate it, I do, but it doesn't mean I love her any less. But then you guys come along, and for one second back at the motel I thought about leaving her. Why not? You guys would be much better at taking care of her than me. You could do things for her that I can't. You can even dispose of her..._accidents_ better than me." I let out a shrill laugh and shook my head.

"But if I left her my life would be nothing. I don't have my mother, I can't go back to live with my father, and I don't have any friends. Two years Zoe has been my life. I am nothing without her. My responsibility as her sister is just a fraction of what I love about her. She's funny, smart, and comes out with the most random things that make me smile, making up anything that's gone wrong in the day." I closed my eyes for a moment. "Nothing would make me leave her. I love her, no matter what her nature entails." I looked straight at Edward. "It wouldn't be understandable if I left. It wouldn't be forgivable. But in that moment back then, I realized that I'm staying out of love and not obligation. I need her probably more than she needs me."

I let my gaze drop and strode past them both.

I hadn't given a speech like that since I was last with my father. That had ended in tears and I was glad I kept my emotions in check and didn't break down in front of Edward and Jasper.

It was silent for the rest of the way. When we reached somewhat of a clearing in the woods, I spotted Alice and Rosalie.

I knew Zoe was near by and my body relaxed out all the tension I had been carrying since she ran off.

I was about to rush towards them, but something pulled me back.

I turned, meeting Edward's stare. Still holding lightly onto my arm, he said, "I didn't mean to sound patronizing. I just meant that it is okay to have those feelings without having to feel guilty about them." He let go of my arm and stepped back. A smile was fighting against his lips. "And you were wrong," he whispered. "We wouldn't do a better job looking after her. You're doing a better job than you think." Edward let his words sink in before he walked around me.

I was about to open my mouth and let a thank you spill out, but he stopped and turned back toward me with a smirk. "For a human, anyway."

My eyes flared, my mouth opening several times, willing a retort to come out, but I had nothing except a scowl that he couldn't even see.

"You're so lucky you can't hear my mind right now," I called lamely as I hurried to where Alice and Rosalie were waiting.

I could hear Edward laughing at me as I arrived, but I put him out of my mind. My attention needed to be on my sister.

"Where is she?" I asked, looking around the clearing not seeing my sister in sight.

Simultaneously, Alice and Rosalie looked upward.

Zoe had found the biggest tree to hide in. She was sitting on a thick branch at least forty feet from the ground. I could barely see her from where I stood.

My stomach did a terrified flip. "Crap," I whispered. Where was a forty-foot ladder when you needed one?

I hated heights.

* * *

A/N:

Sorry it was short!

This chapter is was originally 24 pages long, so I will conclude the rest with a new chapter. I wanted to split it up because this chapter focuses on Bella's guilt and how she feels – the next will focus on Zoe and others things that happen...

Those who got sneak previews last time: the part you got was in the other half of this chapter, so don't worry, that part is coming soon. If anyone else wants to read what they got then let me know.

Zoe's gifted, but of course they are way off with it...If you remember anything from this chapter, remember the mention of Zoe being gifted because it comes up again and is going to be mentioned for a few chapters.

To guest reviewer Jeannette: I love the idea of Isle Esme and I have considered that option, but I need somewhere on main land, but thank you for your suggestion and review! :-)

Oh, and I looked up the amount of blood a human has and got many different answers, so I quoted from a blood donation site. Hope I wasn't far off.

And one last thing before I forget...Bella mentions her mind being "dark and twisty" - that is a reference from Grey's Anatomy! I didn't really realize I had stolen it until I was reading it back, but it fit so I left it in!

Have a good weekend!


	7. Chapter 7: Pain

Previously:

_"Bella," Alice whispered. "Where is Zoe?"  
I sniffed. "I yelled at her. She ran off."  
"We will get her back," Rosalie said from above Alice and me._

_X  
"Alice and Rose found Zoe," Edward told me.  
"Oh God, where is she?"  
"She's okay," Jasper said. "Or she will be. She needs her sister, though. She won't listen to the girls."  
"Take me to her!"_

_x_

_"Where is she?" I asked, looking around the clearing not seeing my sister in sight.  
Simultaneously, Alice and Rosalie looked upward.  
Zoe had found the biggest tree to hide in. She was sitting on a thick branch at least forty feet from the ground. I could barely see her from where I stood.  
My stomach did a terrified flip. "Crap," I whispered. Where was a forty-foot ladder when you needed one?  
I hated heights._

**Chapter Seven**

**Pain**

Staring at the blur that was my sister in the tree, I redirected my fear into annoyance as I rounded on Jasper, forgetting his nature and acted like I would if he were anyone else who had just sugar coated my sisters wellbeing.

"I thought you said she was fine," I uttered. "A million feet from the ground isn't 'fine' in my books!"

Jasper looked at me as if I was crazy, but shrugged. "She looks fine to me," he said non-pulsed. "Do you need my help?" He looked at Alice who shook her head. Jasper pecked Alice on the cheek lightly before disappearing into the trees.

"I'm not sure what's more amusing," Rosalie said, watching after Jasper. "The human talking to Jasper like that; or Jasper rushing off as if he has never dealt with demanding women before."

Edward snorted as if trying not to laugh.

Alice gave them both a cold look.

"He didn't 'rush off,'" Alice said defensively. "And Zoe really is fine," she told me. "But she won't let us up, and she won't come down."

I swallowed. I knew what she was about to say next. "You want me to go all the way up there?" I was getting dizzy at the thought.

"You're not afraid of heights, are you?" Edward's tone was mocking.

My fists clenched. "Of course not." I could hear the panic in my voice. I cleared my throat. "Which one of you will help me up? Or shall I start climbing?" Sarcasm was better than panic, I decided.

"I'd do it, but you look like you're going to hurl," Alice said, backing away from me.

"Fair enough," I said dry mouthed.

"Get on," Edward ordered, indicating for me to get on his back.

I went to get on, but at the last minute my stomach turned in knots. "This is ridiculous," I said. I looked up into the tree where I could scarcely see my sister. I could tell she was watching us. "Zoe Renee Swan, get your butt down here right now!" I hated playing the _mother_ card, but she was still a child and I was still her guardian.

"No!" I heard her say, even from way up in the tree.

"She said, 'no,'" Edward informed me, a little too amused by it all.

"Even with my crappy_ human_ ears, I heard that, thanks," I grumbled. Edward chuckled, but I blanked him out.

"She shares your last name?" Rosalie asked. I knew what she meant. Zoe wasn't related to my father.

"My mom still used 'Swan' before she passed away. She never got around to changing back to her maiden name, even though she and Charlie had been divorced since I was about five," I said. I glanced back up at the tree. "I mean it, Zoe, get down right now!"

I heard nothing. I looked at the others, but Alice shook her head. "Fine," I yelled up. "I call human!"

"Human?" Alice wondered.

"When she does non-human things, like jump a million feet up a tree, for example," I said really loudly, "I call 'human.' We agreed she has to do as I say and act more human."

We waited for over a minute, but Zoe didn't get down from the tree. "I can try to talk her down if you like?" Alice offered.

I sighed. "No, I'll do it." Without a word, Edward turned again so I could get on his back, but I chickened out for the second time.

Edward snorted. "Heights you are afraid of, but seven vampires and a bunch of werewolves you deal with at ease. Humans amaze me some times."

"I'm not afraid," I protested. But my heart was going ten to the dozen.

I got stuck on the roof of my grandma's barn when I was about six. No one knew where I was, so I was stuck there for almost an hour. It felt more like a lifetime by the time my grandpa carried me down. I was sick all over him. The barn was nowhere as big as the tree.

"The trick with phobias is... to not think about it," Edward said and before I realized what was happening, I was up on the tree next to Zoe. I was frozen with both horror and fear.

"Get me down," I said in a shaky whisper. I closed my eyes tight.

"Just sit down slowly, I won't let you fall," Edward said soothingly.

"This isn't funny, Edward. Get me down." My legs were shaking and I was feeling nauseous.

"Just breathe, I've got you," he said sincerely. "Here, I'll help you sit." A cool hand held me close, and with Edward's support, I was sitting next to Zoe on the branch.

"I'd leave you in peace to talk, but you look like you'll keel over any moment," Edward said. I wanted to hit him, but I was afraid to jolt the branch.

"Whatever," I whispered, trying to breathe. I opened my eyes and looked only at my sister.

Zoe was looking at me in amazement. "That was so cool," she said, referring to Edward's unannounced flight up the tree with me over his shoulder.

"No it wasn't," I said quietly.

Edward sat down next to me, his hand securely over the lower part of my back.

I looked at Zoe properly. She was a mess. I was glad Esme had thought of bring extra clothes because if another human had spotted her with blood in her hair, around her mouth, and splattered down her clothes...They really would have panicked and called the police.

That was the last thing we needed.

I tried to swallow my fear as I summoned the words that Zoe needed to hear. I didn't want her to be afraid, but mostly I didn't want her burdened with guilt as I had been.

"I'm sorry for yelling earlier," I began, my voice still shaky. "I don't like losing my temper, and I especially hate it when I lose it at you."

"You didn't want the woman to die," Zoe mumbled. "I didn't want the woman to die. You had to shout at me so I would listen."

"And you did listen, so that's a good thing," I said trying to be encouraging.

"But she's still dead," Zoe said miserably. "Now her kids don't have a mother."

My heart sank. "I shouldn't have said that. I don't even know if she had kids."

"Then her own mother doesn't have a daughter any more. You should have let those wolves kill me yesterday. I deserve it."

"No you don't," I said firmly. "You really don't, Zoe. Please stop thinking like that."

"But I _kill_ people!" Zoe stood abruptly, wobbling the branch a little.

"Please sit down, Zo," I pleaded for both our sakes. Zoe immediately did as I asked.

I felt another speech coming on. Talking was one way of distracting myself from the fact I was dangling forty-foot from the ground.

"Before you were born I thought I was pretty open minded, something I got from our mom. Whereas my dad, he lived more of a black and white life, where he was more closed off and there was not much in the middle. If you did wrong, you had to be punished for it. Hence why he's a cop." I paused briefly, but Zoe seemed to be following me.

"Then you landed into my life and my eyes were thrust open to so much more. I was catapulted into a whole new world. A whole new world that most humans wouldn't be able to understand." I squeezed Zoe's hand. "But _I_ understand it, Zo. I know I will never fully be able to be in your shoes, but as far as being human in this whole new world…Well, I think I've adapted pretty well."

Zoe let go of my hand and shielded away from me. "Let me get to the point," I said quickly. "What I am trying to say is that I've adapted and accepted this new world, and accepted who you are, no matter what. I struggle, sometimes, I admit that, but we need to be on the same team and deal with those struggles together. I am able to see that what you have done is because of your nature. Other humans? They kill because they want to, or because they can. You? You kill while feeding. I think there is a difference!"

"But I still _kill_ people!" Zoe wasn't getting my point. I tried to spell it out for her.

"Yes," I agreed. "You have. But are you doing it for fun? No! I can see the fight you have with yourself every single time you do it. Something takes over you and you can't control what happens. I've seen it with my own eyes! You literally have no control over it. And that isn't your fault. I don't blame you, or love you any less."

"But you hate that I've taken so many lives!" Zoe was in tears now.

"I don't love the fact that lives have been lost," I admitted quietly. "But I am in no way disgusted with you. And you shouldn't be either. You can't help the way you were born. But you hate yourself for being who you are. That's what really makes me sad!"

"But I don't want to," Zoe shouted. "I don't want to kill people! I want to be human, like you. It's not fair!"

"No, it's not fair," I said softly, agreeing wholeheartedly. I looked at Edward and at that moment I wished he could read my mind. It was only Carlisle who had said they were going to teach Zoe how to live like they did. I hadn't stuck around long enough to talk it through with them. But I knew what they had to offer was hope.

And it would help Zoe feel better about herself if she had a way of not taking away human life.

Although he couldn't read my mind, somehow Edward seemed attuned to my thoughts.

"Zoe," he said gently. "It's not fair that you have to deal with this thirst that has possessed you to kill. Most of my family have been through it at some point. Some of us had it worse than others. But do you know how we live now? How we live in the human world without having the urge to kill everyone in our path?"

Zoe peeked up and glanced at Edward shyly. "How?"

Edward nodded to me, telling me to take the reins. "They don't drink from humans," I said my voice cracking a little. I cleared my throat. There was no way I was going to cry in front of Edward again. "They don't have to kill people."

Zoe's eyes were wide with curiosity. "Really?"

I could hear the smile in Edward's voice when he answered. "Yes, really."

"And they said they will help you, so that you can control your cravings for people blood. If that's what you want," I offered.

"So it would be just like eating from animals like other humans, but just the blood?" Zoe thought aloud.

Edward laughed. "Yes, something like that."

"It won't be easy, sweetheart, but if that's what you want, then they are the ones to help you," I said. I began seeing everything click into place. This had been the answer we truly had been searching for, for a long time.

"What about the blood bags?" Zoe questioned.

"I'm afraid you would be to be weaned off those," Edward put delicately. "If you are sure your wish is to live like we do, off animal blood, then having the taste for human blood would have to stop."

After a moment's thought, Zoe's face fell. "What kind of animals?"

"Any you liked," Edward told her cautiously. He heard the same uncertain tone I did.

"Like dogs and cats?"

"Well, no. I meant wild animals," Edward said quickly. "Like bears, deer's, or wild cats."

"Bears?" Now it was me who was uncertain. I pictured Zoe trying to tackle a bear to the ground for feeding. But the image ended with her getting mauled.

"Okay, not bears to begin with, but I think she could take down a bear no problem," Edward said and Zoe beamed.

"What about wolves?" I muttered and Edward laughed. "I was joking. Stop moving the tree!"

Edward stopped laughing. "Wolves would be no problem. But technically the wolves you are thinking about are still human."

"Shame," I mumbled.

"I would have no problem with it, but I'm sure Carlisle and Esme would," Edward said feigning regret.

"I really wouldn't have to kill people?" Zoe was serious again, her voice tense.

"We have all been right where you are," Edward told her with sincerity. "Or at least we can relate to the…irresistible bloodlust that comes with our nature. We can guide you so that you feel the thirst for human blood less frequently, and when it does come, and it will, we will be able to help you control yourself."

"In other words," I told Zoe. "No. You won't have to kill people."

It was my turn to smirk at Edward. He glared back, but I knew he was fighting a smile. I looked away and saw that Zoe was trying not to cry.

"I wished and wished there was a way, but I didn't think I would ever be able to stop killing," Zoe mumbled through tears.

"Hey," I said, putting my arm around her tiny shoulders. "Don't cry, sweetheart, or I will start bubbling." She laid her head into my chest. "I know something that might cheer you up even more. Guess what else Edward and the others think?"

"What?" Zoe sniffed.

"That you have a gift," I said beaming with pride.

Zoe's head shifted away from my chest. "Can I open it?" She wiped her face with her sleeve.

I giggled. "Not that kind of gift, silly."

"More like a super power," Edward said. He sounded as if he was enjoying being the one to share the news to Zoe.

Zoe's eyes lit up. "I have a super power?"

"A very powerful one!"

"So powerful that it overrides Edward's," I said, trying not to smile too smugly. "And so powerful, that somehow, you seem to be feeding it to me."

"What is it?"

"We don't know yet," Edward said. "But we think your mind can protect itself, like a shield. I am able to read everyone's thoughts, but your gift prevents me from reading yours and Bella's."

"Cool!" Zoe gushed. "I have a super power!"

"A special power for a special girl," I said with a smile. "Now can we please get down off this stupid tree?"

Zoe grinned, standing over me. She didn't wobble one bit, but my stomach was tying itself into knots again. "Don't you dare jump," I warned worried about her landing wrong, but she just grinned.

"I'll race you!" Zoe challenged and leapt off the tree before Edward could help me up.

"Zoe!" I yelled, but Edward picked me up swiftly and held me in his arms.

"She landed perfectly, she's fine," he murmured in my ear. Then, I felt the wind glide through me, and with barely a thud, we landed on the ground next to the others.

"That was awesome," Zoe said grinning ear to ear. Edward put me back on my own two feet.

"Exhilarating," Edward agreed.

"I never want to do that again," I said my legs still shaking.

"I'm hungry," Zoe stated.

We all turned to look at her. She looked back, wide eyed, wondering what she said wrong. "Human hungry?" I asked slowly. Zoe nodded.

I almost laughed with relief.

"We can get something to eat when we go back, but first we need to get you cleaned up," I said as Alice pulled out the spare clothes in Zoe's backpack. Rosalie handed me the baby wipes that Esme must have grabbed from my car and I began wiping Zoe's face as Rosalie wet her hair with a water bottle, trying to get the matted blood out of it.

Edward turned around to give Zoe some privacy as Alice, Rosalie, and I helped Zoe look less like character from a horror movie.

"Do you have an attachment to those clothes?" Edward asked as he peeked round once we had pulled Zoe's clean clothes on.

I glanced at the pile of bloody clothes we had shoved by the tree. "Not really. Why?"

Edward didn't reply as he scooped up the clothes, whipped out a silver lighter and set them on fire.

"Oh," I said as I watched the flames lick Zoe's pink hoody. "That's one way to get the blood out." My eyes were transfixed on the yellow and orange blaze at the bottom of the tree. We watched as Zoe's clothes turned to ash.

"We should get back," Rosalie said once Edward put the fire out with the remaining water from Zoe's backpack. "The other should be done by now."

Walking back in the direction we had come, I was beginning to feel more content. The vampires I had first feared were turning into something that I hadn't even known I was praying for. I meant every word that I had told Zoe about not loving her any less for the lives she took, but I couldn't lie that I wasn't elated that these vampires were offering to teach Zoe how they lived, instead of killing humans for her meal.

And best of all, I could see it in Zoe's eyes that this was what she had wanted just as much as I did.

It was hope. Something to look forward to.

I would just have to stash the guilt, which still hung over me, back into the recesses of my mind and deal with it at another time.

I wanted to learn more about the vampires. We were going to spend some time together and I wouldn't be doing a very good job in keeping us safe if we just drove off with strangers without knowing something about them.

I started with Alice.

"Can you really see the future, Alice?"

"Yep," she replied brightly.

"I bet you saw us coming a mile away," I said. It made a lot more sense now. It wasn't just by chance that Alice, Esme, and Jasper had appeared the night we had arrived in Forks. Alice must have 'seen' what was going on by the side of the road and went to investigate.

"Well, sort of," Alice said. "You see, I can't see the wolves that clearly. I saw that something was going to happen that night, but not exactly what. The others were hunting nearby, so us three went to see what was happening."

"I guess I have you to thank for saving our lives," I said when it occurred to me. "Well, all of you, really, but you wouldn't have been any the wiser if it wasn't for your sort of vision."

Alice laughed away my thanks. "Thank my curiosity and frustration. It's not often my visions just black out before I can understand what it means. So, naturally, I had to see what was going on and I dragged Esme and Jasper with me."

"You're visions may not see past the wolves, but my mind can hear them," Edward said, outraged. "What do you want now, Jacob Black?"

Several things happened at once. Zoe darted to me and cowered behind my legs, the others closed in on each side of us defensively, and Jacob appeared into view opposite us.

"What are you doing here, mutt? Rosalie spat.

"Sam sent me to apologize, Bella," Jacob said ignoring the others completely.

"He's lying," Edward told me.

Jacob narrowed his eyes at Edward. His mouth opened, but he changed his mind and shook his head a little. "Fine. Sam didn't send me. I just wanted to talk. For old times' sake?" I could tell he was doing his best to strain himself in front of the vampires.

"How did you even find her?" Rosalie butted in.

Jacob's fists clenched, but he did his best to keep control. "I know Bella better than any of you. I knew she wouldn't go far. I got the..._Zoe's_ sent and followed." He looked at me. "Bella, please."

"Do you know how hard it is for me to trust people these days?" I said trying to keep my voice monotone. "There is so much stacked against you, Jacob, which even our old friendship is cancelled out."

Jacobs face fell. "Five minutes. Please. That's all I'm asking."

Part of me wanted to tell him to go to hell. What he did was unforgivable. But then he didn't know, or understand the situation that first night. He was protecting what he believed in. Wasn't I doing the same with Zoe?

"I can't," I said. "But only because right now I have way too much to think about and I don't need a heart to heart with you to top it off. I'll come to you when I'm ready to talk."

Jacob closed his eyes for a second. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

"I didn't say I forgive you, Jake. But I will give you five minutes when I'm ready." It was the best I was able to offer. Jacob seemed to understand.

"Forgiveness needs to be earned," he said. Jacob looked behind me, glancing down at Zoe, who held my leg tighter. "I have two apologies to make when the time comes." He tried to smile at Zoe, but she whimpered and Jacob dropped his gaze.

"You're scaring the life out of her," Rosalie hissed. "You have five seconds or we'll be sending you back to the Reservation in a doggy bag."

"That was the _worst_ joke in history," Jacob said blankly. "But I'm gone, don't worry, Blondie!"

Rosalie darted forward in a rage, but Edward pulled her back at the last second. At this, Jacob laughed, but disappeared from view before Rosalie could fight out of Edward's vice hold.

"You should have let me at him," Rosalie spat at Edward. "Dogs need to be put into their place."

"It wasn't worth it," Edward said. He turned to me, eyes narrowed. "You're not really going to give him the time of day, are you?"

I frowned. "Yes. Why?"

Edward looked as if I had temporally lost my mind. "He's a werewolf!"

"And you're a vampire," I retorted.

"He tried to rip your arm off!" Edward was outraged.

"And he tried to kill your sister," Rosalie added offhandedly.

I swallowed my anger. "Yes, I am well aware of what Jacob has done, and trust me when I say I am nowhere near forgiving him. But I've known him a lot longer than I've known you. So, yes, I will give him five minutes to at least apologize without an audience."

"Wolves are hostile! They can't always control their anger and someone can end up getting hurt," Edward said. "You can't go near him."

"Edward, she can make up her own mind," Alice said coming to my aid. "She can't talk to whomever she pleases."

Edward's jaw was still clenched, but decided to lose his battle with the silent treatment and a smouldering look of fury as we walked on. It was a wise move on his part.

Edward was out of line. He couldn't tell me who I could and couldn't speak to. It made me want to get Jacob back and talk to him then, but I told myself that it would have been childish.

Zoe let go of my hand and skipped off ahead of us. "Don't cross the road by yourself," I called. She turned back and smiled, before dancing off in front of us.

"She has the perfect life," Alice commented. "Half human, half vampire, and everything that comes with both sides."

"I bet she fits in with her peers more than we do," Edward said thoughtfully forgetting he was mad at me.

"Yeah, but she still stands out, you know? She is human enough to fit in, but there is still an air of difference about her. Only humans are too dim to really know what," I said. Everyone she ever met loved Zoe. They smiled when she did. It was like they were hypnotized or something. But sometimes, the kids seemed a little cautious of her, like they knew she wasn't like them.

"She'll be just fine," Alice said. "Once she gets her cravings under control, she will be able to go back to normal."

That was all I wanted.

"You said she was only two years old this morning," Rosalie said. "But she looks a lot older." There was a question in her voice.

I knew these questions would come soon. "She _is _two years old," I confirmed. "But from the minute she…" My voice trailed off, interrupted by wolf howls.

But as the howls died down, Zoe screamed.

Every time I turned my back, Zoe was in danger somehow. Horrors of her being attacked by the wolves plagued my brain as I ran after the others to find her.

I was last to catch up. Rosalie was helping Zoe off the ground, but she was alive and not torn to shreds. "What happened?" I was ashamed at how breathless I felt.

"I fell," Zoe murmured. "The howl scared me and I tripped over myself."

I couldn't stop myself when I burst out laughing. Everyone stared at me. I tried to let the giggles die down, but it was just too much. Zoe's human half was mirroring my own childhood.

"Why are you laughing at me?" Zoe demanded as she brushed the mud off her pants.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm not really laughing at you. I was frightened out of my wits. It's just…you remind me so much of myself," I said trying to keep a straight face. "Plus, my emotions are all over the place. I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"Where are the wolves? Are they here for me again?" Her terror was clear and all the laughter drained from me in an instant. Everyone looked at Edward for answers.

"They came for Jacob," he reassured us. "He disobeyed orders."

"Good. I hope they endorse physical punishment," Rosalie said with a wicked smile.

"You really do have a sadistic side, Rose," Alice said breezily.

"You have no idea," Edward muttered, but he seemed to be enjoying something that we couldn't see. Whatever Rosalie was thinking, Edward was getting courtside seats in her head.

_Ick._

I changed the subject. "Where are the others?" Then my heart sank. For all of a few minutes I had completely forgotten what mess they were cleaning up.

A selfish and sick part of me was kind of glad that for once, someone else was taking care of that sort of mess. Next to the lives lost, it was the worst part of Zoe's accidents.

"They're nearly done," Edward said, but was interrupted by another wolf howl. It sounded so close, that it shook my insides. A huge gust of wind rustled the leaves and the grass around us, but it sounded as if something was walking nearby. Something big, and Zoe thought it, too.

The color drained from her face and she turned on her heel and ran. "No, Zoe, wait!" I yelled as I ran after her.

Edward was the fastest, and managed to catch up to her, but as they came to the road, Zoe ran out without pausing to look for traffic.

My breath caught in my throat as I watched in horror as Edward darted out, yanking Zoe off her feet, and dashed back to the side of the road just as a yellow school bus sped past them.

Zoe was still clutching Edward by the time I reached them.

My heart kicked started as I caught up to them, a panic attack bubbling in my chest.

My relief exploded into anger.

"What were you thinking?" I yelled. "You could have been hit! You may be half vampire, but that doesn't make you-" I trailed off, noticing Zoe's distress.

Zoe's face was crumpled with pain. Before I could open my mouth; blood curdling, ear shattering screams erupted for her tiny body.

With having Zoe in his arms, Edward was even more startled than me. Zoe kicked and screamed, but before Edward could let her down gently, she bit him before tumbling to the ground.

Still screaming, Zoe stumbled away from us, with her hands clamped over her ears. She didn't get too far away when she fell to her knees, as if the pain was too much for her.

I darted to her side as she began thrashing around.

"Zoe!"

Out of nowhere, Carlisle was by her side, trying to pull away her hands.

"Shh," he cooed. "Look at me, Zoe. Where does it hurt?"

"My head!" she screamed. "Make it stop!"

Carlisle and Edward bent to either side of Zoe and they both grabbed her arms gently to hold her still, but at their touch, her screams worsened and she began thrashing harder, with her head bashing against the ground.

I watched, swaying on my feet, scared out of my mind. Helpless.

Alice tried to hold me, but I shrugged her off and sat on the ground.

"What the hell's going on?" I heard Emmett say from somewhere behind me.

The screams were glass shattering. Every part of my being was petrified. I had never seen Zoe have so much as a cold, never mind being in excruciating pain.

"Zoe!" I yelled above the noise. "Look at me. Make what stop? What's wrong?"

At the sound of my voice, Zoe's eyes locked onto mine, but they fell out of focus as her back arched before she began convulsing harder. She was getting breathless. Her face was blood red, sweat beading her brow.

"Someone do something!" I begged, looking around helplessly. Carlisle and Edward were talking too quick for my understanding, but I knew they were worried about hurting her further if they tried to hold her down.

"Jasper!" someone yelled.

I vaguely saw Jasper hovering above us. He had all his energy focused on Zoe, his eyebrows were drawn together.

"I'm trying to calm her," Jasper said, a little strained. "The pain…"

It was then I really saw Jasper's gift. He felt every emotion around him. He looked as if he was going to collapse with the effort he was putting into stopping Zoe from feeling everything, but he too was feeling the raw emotions that had Zoe screeching.

"It should be working," Jasper said, frustrated. "Why won't she calm down?"

Edward managed to hold both of Zoe's arms while Carlisle was checking her pupils. But Zoe got violent. She screamed harder and even managed to throw Edward off her. One of her kicks hit me on the side of my face and I was knocked to the ground.

My face stung and my eyes watered, but I ignored the pain as I crawled back to my sister.

"Everyone stop," I yelled. "Just back off for one second." Carlisle and Edward immediately shifted away from Zoe.

"Look at me, sweetheart." I cupped my hand over her cheek. At my touch, the screams died down. But as I breathed a sigh of relief, I noticed that Zoe's nose was bleeding.

I glanced up at Carlisle. "What's happening to her?" I felt the life drain out of me.

"I've subdued her," Jasper said. "But I can't stop whatever is physically hurting her."

Zoe was still. Her eyes were closed, but I could see her chest rise and fall. I knew she was awake, but she was sniffling, trying to catch her breath from crying. I hoped Jasper had her in a good place. I couldn't bare her to hurt any more.

"Zoe," Carlisle said in a soothing manner. "It's Carlisle. Can you open your eyes, darling?"

A cool hand touched my back. I turned. Esme offered me a tissue. I took it and tried to mop up the blood running from Zoe's nose.

Zoe still had her eyes closed, but she didn't start screaming when Carlisle examined her.

I was trying to keep it together, but I was on the verge of breaking down.

"What happened?" I heard Esme ask.

"That's what I want to know," Emmett said.

The whole family of vampires were gathered around us, watching with startled expressions.

There was a moment of silence. "The wolves howl scared her and she ran off," Alice explained when no-one else said anything. "She almost ran out in front of a school bus, but Edward caught her in time…"

"Then she just started screaming," Edward finished, his voice strained. "Maybe I caught her too hard? Maybe I broke something?"

I took it all in as I watched my sister lay completely still while Carlisle checked her over. Edward had been the last one near her, right before she ran out into the road. He saved her from being run over by the bus, but did he equally do enough damage in the process?

"She was defiantly in pain," Jasper said quietly. "Overwhelming…" He trailed off when I caught his eye.

I was on the verge of being sick. I was terrified beyond words. I would have done anything to make Zoe okay. I couldn't stand that she was in pain and I could do nothing.

"Sit her up so the blood doesn't choke her," Carlisle told me. I scooted around to Zoe's head and Carlisle helped me put her into a sitting position, then I placed the tissue over her nose.

"What is wrong with her?" I asked, my voice ragged.

"I am ashamed to say that I do not know at this moment,' Carlisle said. "I would need to run tests. Right now she seems physically fine, aside from the nosebleed."

"If she was human, what would you think? What would your instincts be?"

"She said it was her head. That could be a number of things." Carlisle took the tissue from me and checked Zoe's nose, before wiping away the blood off her face. "She runs hotter than most humans?" I nodded. "We could take her back to our house and wait to see if it happens again, or we could take her to Forks General, and I could run tests on her myself."

I could feel that everyone was looking at me. "I watched my mother die before my eyes. There was nothing in the world I could do for her," I whispered. "But if you can help my sister, then I would very much appreciate it. I can't go just sit around and wait and see if it happens again."

"We'll get to the bottom of this, don't worry," Carlisle promised as he swept Zoe up and into his arms. Alice helped me to my feet and I realized the others were gone.

"Edward's bringing your car around, while the others…finish up at the motel," Alice told me as we followed Carlisle to the road. "And don't worry; Carlisle is the best doctor in the world. He's had centuries of practice."

She chuckled, but I couldn't even manage a smile.

Edward drove my car to the edge of the road.

"We'll see you at the hospital," Alice told me. She gave me a light hug and ran off towards the motel.

Edward opened the backdoor for me. He held out his arm before I could get in. "If I did something to hurt her," he said softly. His eyes caught mine and I saw a glimpse of genuine concern, "I will never forgive myself."

For a long moment we stared at each other, but I was still getting over the shock of Zoe's current state. I felt a surge over overwhelming protectiveness, a lioness protecting her cub.

Without giving him eye contact, I shoved Edwards arm out of the way and slid into the backseat. Carlisle placed Zoe on my lap and got into the passenger's side of my car.

Taking a breath, I looked straight at Edward, ignoring the concern teeming from his golden stare. "Neither will I," I said roughly, before I reached for the door handle and slammed the door shut.

* * *

A/N:

Well, that didn't end too well. In all stories I write, someone always winds up in hospital. There must be a reason for that, lol.

Poor Zoe! Did Edward really hurt her? You'll just have to keep reading to find out.

Thank you to all my readers and I appreciate all the comments, too! Let me know what you think so far!


	8. Chapter 8: Forks General

I know it's been a month since I last posted, but April was super busy for me! It's summer now, so hopefully I can make some progress on this story.

It's a very long chapter, but there was just no way to split this one up- sorry!

Ms. Myers owns all of Twilight.

Enjoy!

Chapter Eight

Forks General

As a child I was forever in the hospital for broken bones, and one time I had to get surgery to reset my left knee. But those were all results of my own clumsiness. All the other children were off school with chicken pox, or stomach flu, or some other sort of infectious illness that spread like wild fire through the school. But I never seemed to catch anything. I rarely had the common cold.

My hospital visits to the ER were almost a joke in our family. My dad would laugh and ask the doctors what could have I possibly broken that time. He would make jokes to me about how I was the clumsiest person he had ever known. I would laugh right along with him, even though it made me a little embarrassed.

What I didn't know at the time was that he made those jokes because he was so worried about me and he didn't want me to see, that every time I wound up in the ER, yet again, it really worried him. Even when he knew I had probably only broken a bone.

Later, when I was a little older and hadn't seen the inside of an ER for quite some time, my dad admitted that he would have a mini heart attack when the ER nurse would call him at work to say I had been brought in. He said that just for those split seconds, he would imagine the worst thing possible and it would scare the life out of him.

I told him that he had been stupid to worry, as a broken bone was nothing to fuss over. He told me quite simply that I would, "understand when you have your own children."

Zoe wasn't my own child, but she felt like mine. The whole time I cradled her in my arms on the drive to Forks, I worried about all the possibilities that could have been wrong with her. Carlisle reassured me over and over that he didn't think it was bad, if anything at all, but I didn't listen. All I pictured was my sister slipping away from me, just like our mother had.

My worst fear spiraled into reality when Zoe suddenly opened her eyes and vomited all over me. For a second I thought she was fine, but as Carlisle slowed the car down, Zoe's whole tiny body began to convulse in my arms.

"Stop!" I shrieked, but we had already come to a halt.

My instincts were to hold her still, but it was too cramped in the car to get a good enough grasp to pin her arms still. Her head was banging against the door handle and my main concern was her sustaining a head injury. As panic took over, both of the back doors flung open and somehow, I was out of the car while Zoe was left lying across the backseats as she continued to fit.

Carlisle was blocking my view as he stood by Zoe's head, while Edward had already removed Zoe's empty car seat and was by her feet. Rushing into the front of the car, I clambered between the two front seats.

Nothing in the world would have prepared me for seeing that. I felt sick.

Carlisle knelt on the outside, but as close to Zoe as he could get without being inside the car. He didn't touch her, but watched her closely, studying her with a look of deep concentration. Edward stayed by Zoe's feet as they kicked away, while I squatted between the two seats, frozen and useless.

A cool hand touched my own. "Easy," Edward murmured. "She's okay. Just breathe. She'll need you when she comes round. Just breathe slowly, in and out."

It was then I realized that I was hyperventilating, gasping for breath in utter panic as I watched my sister violently convulse in the back of my car.

My heart was taking off and my throat was dry as I tried to gulp in as much air as I could. But Edward was right, Zoe needed me and Carlisle didn't need a second patient.

"She's coming round," Edward announced, but mostly for my benefit because Carlisle was already leaning over Zoe.

As I started to get my breath back into a normal rhythm, the doctor pulled Zoe out of the car. Scrambling after them, I rushed to the patch of grass where Carlisle had gently laid my sister. I dropped to the floor as Carlisle silently checked Zoe over. I could feel Edward's presence by my back as we waited for Carlisle's assessment.

"Normal," he told me while I took Zoe's hand.

Zoe was breathing evenly, but she was dead still and her eyes were still tight shut.

"What is wrong with her?" I whispered as I rubbed the back of her hand, taking in her warmth. I called her my walking space heater, which would make her giggle.

"Her vitals are back to normal," Carlisle informed me. "Everything's back to normal. You said her temperature runs hotter than most humans, I assume her heart does, too?"

"I think so," I said. "She's never seen a doctor. But when I've felt her pulse, it's always felt faster than mine."

Carlisle nodded to himself. "Like the wolves," he said quietly. He looked at me. "Forgive me for not having answers. Zoe is my first hybrid patient."

"Is she conscious?" I asked, worried that she had sustained a head injury as I had feared.

"Semi," Carlisle answered truthfully. "She can hear you, but she is still not ready to fully awaken. Whatever caused her pain has drained her out."

"And you don't know what's wrong with her?"

"I'm truly sorry, Bella. I will do what I can to give you answers. Let's continue on to Forks General and we can find out the cause of Zoe's turn."

He picked Zoe up and wrapped in her the fuzzy blue blanket than he must have swiped from the car for her head without my noticing. I sprang to my feet and hurried alongside them towards the car.

"Edward will drive," Carlisle said. "I will sit with Zoe in case this happens again; if that is okay with you?"

I kissed Zoe on the cheek. "Love you, baby girl," I whispered and jumped in the passenger's seat while Carlisle slid in the back with Zoe.

I barely had my seatbelt on before Edward had started the engine and pulled away from the side of the road.

"You will make sure all tests are done and handled by you?" I asked Carlisle, turning back toward them.

"Of course," the doctor reassured me. "Edward will keep check on my colleague's minds to ensure they do not interfere with her care."

"You know what my other concern is, don't you?"

"The risk of blood being exposed at the hospital within Zoe's presence," Carlisle said nodding. "I know. We will be with her at all times. Edward cannot monitor her thoughts, but Jasper can detect the changes in her emotions. Of course we can also smell the blood. We won't let her lose control. We will keep her safe."

"I don't mean to sound rude, but...what if the blood affects you, too?" I had seen Esme and Alice deal with Zoe drinking from a blood bag without seeming the need to rip it from her and drink it, but surely fresh blood was harder to ignore.

"It won't," Carlisle said confidently, but didn't elaborate. There was an odd silence. I felt like there was more to Carlisle's answer, but they were doing so much for Zoe and I, that I choose not to press the issue.

"You'd think," I said, in almost a daze, "that seeing so much blood and gore, that nothing would scare me. Yet, I felt as if I was feeling every second of her pain. I was so scared."

"Nothing can prepare anyone for seeing their loved ones hurt," Carlisle said gently.  
"We'll get to the bottom of this. She'll be bounding back before you know it."

Turning back around in my seat, I lay my head on the window. Focusing on the hum of the car, I closed my eyes and gave myself a few minutes of salvation while it was still calm.

After what seemed like two seconds, someone was shaking me awake. I hadn't realized I had fallen asleep and I was a bit disorientated as I opened my eyes. Edward was kneeling beside me outside of the car. "We're at the hospital," he said quietly. It was like having electricity surged through me. I jumped out of the car and flew through the ER doors.

The place was as familiar to me as my dad's house. I knew every inch of the hospital. The waiting room was quiet, and all eyes landed on me as I stumbled through, looking for Carlisle.

Ignoring the stares, Edward led the way towards the beds. There was a patient hooked up to an IV a few beds from where my sister lay.

Zoe's cheeks were back to being pale white with a surge of rose blushed through them. She still had her eyes closed and was perfectly still, but her body was free of pain, that much I could tell.

As I halted a few feet from her bed, I watched as Carlisle and a familiar face whispered over her.

Dr. Snow glanced up and his face filled with surprise. "Isabella," he said his voice filled with recognition. He was one of the only people in the world to always call me by my full name.

"Dr. Snow," I said faintly in acknowledgement.

"Little Zoe is your sister?" Dr. Snow was taking Zoe's pulse and I began to get nervous. I stared at Carlisle, but he didn't seem to be worried.

"Yes," I said teetering closer to the bed. "My mother's daughter from another relationship," I added. I had no idea what the people of Forks knew about my mom after she left. I wasn't even sure if they knew she was dead.

"She's giving you quite a scare," Dr. Snow said his ancient face withered into a kind smile. "Taking after her sister, I see." The old man smiled and I couldn't help but blush. "Not to worry, though, we will fix her up in no time."

A nurse with red hair entered the small bay beside Zoe's bed and laid a pediatric gown on the bed. Carlisle and Dr. Snow began closing the blue curtain and when they met in the middle, they held it open a few inches. "You can go in," Carlisle told me. "We will get the MRI ready."

Like a ghost, I floated towards Zoe's bed. When I made it past the curtain, I tugged it closed properly and inched closer to the bed while the nurse started changing Zoe into the gown.

Zoe looked so small. So vulnerable. She was lifeless as the nurse pulled the gown over her. I was scared to go near her in case she started fitting again.

"She will be okay," the nurse told me. "Dr. Cullen and Dr. Snow are excellent doctors."

_Dr. Cullen._ So the vampires were indeed acting human, living in the human world, and trying to fit in as much as possible. I vaguely wondered whose last name 'Cullen' was, or if it was picked out of the blue to ensure their human façade.

I blinked. _Unimportant information, _I reminded myself as I got my priorities straight.

I took my coat off, aware that it was starting to smell with Zoe's vomit all over it and crumpled it in a ball, shoving it at the bottom of Zoe's bed.

The nurse gave me a wary look before opening the curtain to let the doctors know Zoe was fully gowned.

As they came back, I jumped off the bed and edged to the side to be out of the way. Without a word, the two doctors and the nurse, wheeled Zoe out of the room. I hurried after them. Although I wanted to be in the room with Zoe, I knew that I would have been one extra body too many. The room was crowded enough, so I pushed through into the viewing room that looked directly into the MRI.

I watched through the glass as they lifted Zoe from the bed to the MRI table. Edward appeared next to me and pressed the speaker button so I could hear what they were saying.

I wanted to thank him, but the words wouldn't come. We looked at each other for a long moment. I wanted to tell him that I didn't mean what I had said earlier, that I didn't blame him for what had happened to Zoe, but the longer we stared at each other, the more I knew that I didn't need to find the words. Edward nodded without saying anything, to let me know he understood.

The MRI was familiar to me since some of my falls had the doctors questioning if I had concussion. I knew what they were going to do, but I still shook with fear as if it was the first time seeing it.

While Dr. Snow was covering Zoe was a blanket, Carlisle bent to Zoe's ear. The speaker didn't pick up his words. I glanced at Edward.

"Despite the fact that her eyes are closed, Zoe is awake and more conscious than before. I can't read her mind, but I think she is waiting for you to open her eyes," Edward told me. "Carlisle is telling her to keep still and it will be over soon. He says you are waiting and not to worry."

Carlisle put a head guard over Zoe's face, securing her in. Even though I knew it was coming, the sight made me gasp and for a moment I looked away. I counted to ten and when I looked back, the MRI was making noises and Carlisle and Dr. Snow had joined us in the room.

"If she's anything like her sister, then she will be up on her feet and right as rain in no time," Dr. Snow said as he sat down in one of the chairs. "I've known Isabella since she was born," he told Carlisle and Edward as if they had asked. "She was my most frequent patient." He gave me what he must have thought was an enduring smile. When he turned away, I rolled my eyes. "It seemed the minute I discharged her, she was back again in no time."

I kept silent, my eyes watching the screens which would eventually show Zoe's brain. "Do you think she had an epileptic fit? Is that why you're checking her brain?"

"Maybe," Carlisle said. "However, epilepsy doesn't usually cause extreme pain, which came first."

My medical knowledge was mostly to do with bones. I didn't know a lot about the brain. "Then what?"

Dr. Snow gave Carlisle a look before he glanced at me empathetically. "We honestly can't..."

I cut him off. "No," I said firmly. "None of this "we don't know yet" crap. You have a theory. Now tell me."

I hated that Dr. Snow was there at all. Carlisle needed to get rid of him before he realized something was different about Zoe. He couldn't be the one to do the tests. I tried to tell Carlisle that with my eyes, but I knew he couldn't just kick out his colleague without good reason.

"We should just wait for the scan to come up," Carlisle agreed with Dr. Snow. "Richard, I can wait for the results. There is no point in both of us waiting." Even to my ears it sounded like a polite way to tell Dr. Snow to go away. The aged doctor rose to his feet, his worn smile stretching his face.

"It was good to see you again, Isabella," he told me. "Keep me posted." He nodded to Carlisle and backed out of the room. Edward closed the door behind him.

"Tell me," I demanded of Carlisle. "What are you thinking?"

Carlisle hesitated. "Bella, let me assure you that I honestly do not know. However, there are a few things that come to mind with Zoe's current symptoms."

"Which are?"

The mesmerizing doctors' lips remained closed. I was about to lose my temper, which I knew he sensed.

"Your sister said it was her head that was causing the pain," he said. "Bacterial Meningitis was one of the first things on a list of many diagnosis that came to my mind."

Feeling dizzy, I sat down on the chair Dr. Snow had just vacated. "Meningitis."

"We don't know that," Edward said gently. "Carlisle already did a spinal tap while you were sleeping and it's being looked at now."

I didn't know much about brains, but I did know what meningitis was. It was many parents' worst fears. "Then why the MRI? What aren't you telling me?" I said. Carlisle gave me a long hard stare. "Are you this evasive with all your patients' relatives?"

"Bacterial meningitis does cause all of Zoe's symptoms, however, it's not the only possibility."

"Then what?"

"One other thing that came to my mind was a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. A burst blood vessel in Zoe's brain that may have caused her to feel the immense amount of pain that we witnessed. It's rare in children, but not impossible."

I opened my mouth several times, but I couldn't find the words. I turned back to the MRI room and stared hard towards the white machine. Zoe was a bundle of blankets so I couldn't see her face. I fought very hard against the urge to scoop her up and run as far away from the hospital as I could. She had been fine until we went to Forks. Then all hell broke loose.

She must have been terrified, laying in the noisy machine alone. I couldn't even go in a touch her, to let her know she was safe. I prayed the MRI would hurry up and finish.

"Being half..." I let my voice trail, scared someone else was listening. But they both nodded. "It should help?"

"If she hadn't been what she is," Carlisle said guardedly. "Then things would be very different right now."

Earlier I had been agreeing with Zoe, saying that it wasn't fair that she has half vampire. That couldn't have been less true after Carlisle's words. I had never been so glad for her nature as we waited for the MRI to do its job.

There was a small knock at the door and Alice glided in. She came to my side and Rory the elephant fell onto my lap. "For when she opens her eyes," she said quietly.

A spark of hopefulness ignited me as I gazed up at Alice. "Can you see when that will be?" But Alice didn't need to open her mouth, I saw the answer on her face.

"I have trouble seeing hybrids. Although Zoe is much clearer than the wolves, I can't see much." Alice rubbed my back, but I turned back to the monitors in the room.

Finally, the pictures slowly sprang some life into the computer screens. I moved out the way so that Carlisle could get a better look. I could only read x-rays, after seeing so many of them, but MRI images were a little more alien to me.

After a quick scan throughout all of the images of Zoe's brain, Carlisle turned to me with a smile. "Perfect," the doctor told me. "No bleed at all. Healthiest brain I've ever seen…literally."

The tension within me melted into a puddle on the floor. I felt like a huge weight was instantly pulled off me and I felt my breaths become easier.

"Thank God!" I said in relief as Carlisle patted me on the shoulder before drifting out of the room. I and rushed to Zoe's side as Carlisle was lifting her off the MRI and onto a gurney.

Carlisle moved out of the way, allowing me to stand at the top of the gurney by Zoe's head. She looked so peaceful, snuggled into the blanket. I knew, like Edward had suggested, that she was awake even if she had her eyes closed. It was like I sensed her energy and I knew that she was no longer in any pain and distress. When I tucked Rory by her arm, I felt her stir.

Bending down to her ear I whispered, "I'm right here, baby girl. You're going to be okay. We will find out what's wrong, then we can leave, okay?" I kissed the top of her forehead, brushing her hair out of the face as I did before I let Carlisle take back the bed to move it forward.

"To minimize the blood exposure, I'm going to get her a room upstairs in the children's ward," Carlisle said quietly as he wheeled the gurney down the hall. I hurried after him on the other side. "From there I'll draw blood and I will get the results from the spinal tap before we decide a course of treatment." Carlisle pushed the button for the elevator. The door pinged open and we stepped in. "We can get your face x-rayed while we are waiting on the results, if you like?"

I stared at Carlisle before gently touching my face. Oh. Zoe had accidentally kicked me earlier while she was screaming in pain. "I almost forgot," I admitted. "I don't think it's broken. It'll be fine."

"All the same," Carlisle said gently. "We should take a look at the wound on your arm. How's the head? No nausea? Dizziness?"

"All fine," I lied. "Let's fix Zoe first." My head and arm were both killing me, but I wasn't going to admit anything until Zoe was walking safely out of the door.

Carlisle looked away, but I knew he didn't buy my lie. The door pinged back open and we had arrived at the children's ward. A different nurse greeted us at the elevator doors and silently, they wheeled Zoe into a nearby room.

I hung back, watching them go.

The bright fluorescent colors and pictures of animals, shapes, and cartoons, smiled back at me as I slowly trudged after them. My stomach flipped anxiously. Déjà vu snaked through me as visions of my own childhood visits to the same ward filled my mind in an unpleasant way.

This time, though, the feeling was worse. I was the worrying relative now.

I knew exactly what my father had been talking about. It was the worst feeling in the world.

"She'll be fine," Alice whispered. I didn't jump because somehow, I felt her presence. "Carlisle really is the best doctor in the world. He will run every test imaginable. He's drawing blood right now. We'll no more soon."

Managing a half smile, I nodded in agreement. Even amongst the terror I was feeling, I knew she was right. "Where are the others?"

"Edward and Rosalie are taking over the lab and taking care of Zoe's spinal tap," Alice told me. "Jasper is hanging around, but hospitals make him...on edge. And Emmett…is, well, being Emmett somewhere. Which means he's probably annoying someone." She smiled to herself.

"Edward and Rosalie are in the lab?"

Alice shrugged. "We've all got a few PhD's under our belt. Rosalie prefers the lab, which is surprising because it consists of gross human bodily fluids. Edward, like Carlisle, prefers the doctor side of things, but he is of more use in the lab right now."

"And no one is questioning it? Their age? You guys are passing off to be…what? Late teens?"

"Something like that," Alice said. "But no-one questions Carlisle. If he says jump, the people here ask how high."

"Now, Alice, that's not quite true," Carlisle said appearing from nowhere. He was wearing a doctors white lab coat. He looked perfectly at home in it.

"Oh, really," Alice said smugly. "Then where did your coat appear from? Your office is down stairs."

Carlisle tried to look as if he didn't know what Alice was talking about and shrugged it off.

Alice grinned, leaning close to me. "See! He says jump, and some nurse asks how high!"  
I laughed with Alice because she was good at making me feel at ease. It was comforting how human they were acting, which was what I needed right then.

"Zoe is asking for you," Carlisle said, knowing that it was the only words to distract me at that moment.

"She has opened her eyes?" I rushed off into her room without waiting for a reply.

It was as if nothing at all had happened. Rosy cheeked, big smile, and looking as healthy as ever, Zoe was sitting up in the bed closest to the door. Her eyes lit up as I entered the room.

She opened up her arms and I rushed into them, climbing up on the bed. Holding her was the best feeling in the world. "You gave everyone a scare, sweetheart," I mumbled as she nestled herself into my side, her arms wrapped around me.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"It's not your fault," I said as I breathed in her floral scent. "Are you feeling better now? No more pain?" I felt her shake her head against my chest. "Do you want to talk about it? We don't have to just yet, but we need to figure out what caused the pain."

"It was just sore," Zoe began quietly. "My head really hurt. I saw you and things were better, but then they got worse and then…" Zoe peeked up at me. "Then I felt happy and warm, and floaty."

At least Jasper can use his gift on Zoe, unlike Edward. That was a relief.

"Do you remember anything else?" I ran my hand soothingly up and down her arm, my own hand enjoying the warmth off her skin at the same time.

Zoe shook her head. "Did I hurt your face?" She sounded devastated.

I touched my cheek again. "No, of course not. I fell trying to get to you," I lied. "Are you sure nothing else hurts?"

Zoe shrugged. "I don't think so?"

I sighed, pulling back to me. "Okay. You will let me, or Carlisle, or a nurse know if you feel even a little bit more pain, right?"

"Okay," Zoe promised.

"And if you feel…_hungry_?"

"I will tell you, or Carlisle, or a nurse," Zoe said.

"Yes," I agreed. "Wait! No! Not a nurse. Don't tell a nurse unless it's human hungry. Just us if you are thirsty, okay?"

"Just you, Carlisle, or the others, I promise. Can I still feed from animals, like you said earlier?"

I felt the panic in Zoe's voice. She was scared to kill someone else. Even after what she had just been through, she was still remembering the maid and the manager that she had drained. Even I had forgotten. Reacting to her stress, I began to tense up.

I wiggled out of Zoe's embrace and slipped off the bed. I found Rory and Zoe wrapped her arms around him. Pulling the blanket up to her chest, I indicated Zoe to lay back down. "Get some rest and I will see where the others are. Alice will sit with you for a while, okay?"

On cue, Alice appeared by the bed, smiling brightly. "Good to see you're feeling better, Miss Zoe," Alice said as she folded herself into the visitors chair. "Carlisle is waiting outside. We'll be fine here for a while."

I kissed Zoe again and wandered out into the halls.

Edward and Carlisle were waiting on the bright orange visitors chairs that I knew my own father had spent many hours getting comfortable on while he was waiting on me.

They both rose as I approached.

"The spinal tap is negative," Edward told me the second I was close enough.

"I managed to draw blood when we settled Zoe into the room," Carlisle informed me. "Rosalie is looking at it just now, but I am positive it will not show anything."

"She seems perfect," I uttered. "Not a hair out of place now."

"I am forever telling parents that children are like elastic bands, they ping back perfectly no matter the hurdles they face," Carlisle said. "Yet, I feel it is a little more with Zoe."

"Her nature has…healed her?"

Carlisle nodded. "Of course I can't be certain and there is no way to prove it yet, but there was definitely something wrong with your sister before. Children bounce back quicker than adults, but Zoe's turn around seems a little more due to her hybrid side."

"So she doesn't have meningitis or an aneurysm? What else are you checking her blood work for?" I couldn't relax yet. There was still many possibilities.

"Everything we can think of," Edward assured me. "We won't leave one stone unturned."

"What if you don't find anything?" I said, panic still bubbling within me. "What if it happens again?" I wasn't sure I would be able to cope with another episode like that.

"We cannot rule that out, but we will be there if it does," Carlisle said with a look of regret. "I cannot express how sorry I am that I do not have more answers."

"You've done way more than I am sure other doctors would have. I am so thankful you guys were there. I am not sure what I would have done otherwise," I said gratefully, trying not to imagine what would have happened if I had been alone with Zoe.

"I am glad to be of use," Carlisle said. "With your permission, would you mind if I kept the blood sample that I've drawn from Zoe? I would very much to look extensively at her blood, mostly for my own curiosity rather than medical purposes."

"Um, sure," I said. "Actually, it would be good if you could. I am a little curious about Zoe's biology and genetics myself."

"Excellent," Carlisle said with a smile. "I will be down stairs if anyone needs me."

When he was gone, I changed the subject to something that was playing on my mind.

"Zoe mentioned about drinking from animals," I said slowly. "Is that still possible? What happens if she gets thirsty while she is here?"

"We are trying to figure that out," Edward said. "We are hoping that she has had enough blood for one day and we can get her back to the house before she starts craving it again. But we know that it might not work like that." It worried me that Edward looked a little worried. That was just as scary as anything else that had happened today.

"I guess it's not like she can go hunting with you guys and be back in bed before someone notices she's gone," I said. "Maybe she can be discharged before nightfall?"

"Hopefully," Edward agreed. "If it comes to it, though, we still have your blood bags from the car."

"Better safe than sorry," I muttered. I couldn't help but feel disappointed that Zoe wasn't going to start her animal diet straight away, but I one more day on human blood couldn't hurt, could it?

"Do you want me to look at your face?" It was Edward's turn to change the subject.  
"Not a chance in hell!" I said, laughing. The last thing I wanted was being that close to Edward. Although, I wasn't sure why.

Edward frowned. He looked a little hurt by my comment. I hated that I felt bad about it. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like that. I just meant that it is okay for now. I can wait until after we get news about Zoe's blood work."

Edward was still frowning. "You need to check if your cheek is broken or not. At the very least, let me clean the graze? And I am betting that it hurts like hell?"  
Everything hurt like hell. My face, my head, the bite on my arm. I tried my best to conceal the pain by keeping my face neutral.

"Zoe is asleep and Alice won't leave her side for one second," Edward told me to placate me. "We will be twenty…thirty minutes, at the most."

I was torn. I didn't want to leave Zoe, even if she wasn't on her own. I trusted Alice. It was hard not to. But I felt a pull towards my sister, a gravity, which I couldn't explain. After everything that had just happened with Zoe, the pull was stronger than ever.

"What about a compromise?" Edward offered.

"I'm listening."

"We can skip the x-ray if you let me attend to your wounds. You can stay by Zoe's bed the whole time." Edward sounded very…doctor-y. Saying whatever I wanted to hear in order to treat my face.

"How many PhD's do you have?" I asked, genuinely interested while trying to change the subject at the same time.

Edward did that stupid annoying smirk again and I knew I wasn't going to get a straight answer. "Enough to know that your face is going to hurt a lot more in the morning if you don't let me assess the damage," he told me trying to sound serious. "Maybe even permanent damage," he added when I didn't say anything.

This caught my attention even though I knew he was calling my bluff. "Ugh!" I sighed dramatically before turning around and marching to Zoe's room.

Alice was flickering through the TV channels, sprawled out on the empty bed nearest the window. She jumped up when I entered and sat back in the chair between the two beds. "He was never going to let you win," she said breezily as she settled on some old black and white movie.

"I noticed," I muttered. "But don't worry, I am just as stubborn."

"I've had many more years of perfecting my stubbornness," Edward said gliding in to the room with a silver medical tray in his hands. "Sit on the end the bed so I can reach you easier," he added, all professional now.

I did as he asked. While Edward sorted out of the medical paraphernalia, I gazed at my sleeping sister in the other bed. I had a jolt of "it's too good to be true" feeling, but I tried to push it away. Did Zoe's nature heel her quickly from whatever had caused such tremendous pain? I was praying that Carlisle was right and tried to ignore my own pessimistic feelings.

"How old are you, anyway?" I asked Edward, tearing my eyes away from my sister. Glancing up from his prep, he tried to fight a smile. "Tilt your head a little for me," he said, ignoring my question.

Edward came as close to me as he could, gauze in on hand, with a waft of something, which could only be described as "medical," polluting the air. My nose wrinkled, and, as I realized that whatever was making the smell was going on my face, I tried to pull away. Edward caught my head before I could duck away from him completely. "Sorry," he said softly. "This will sting a little."

He dabbed my cheek with the wet gauze and I instantly winced, snapping my head away. "Fuuu…" I took a breath. "Fudge!" I censored myself at last minute.

Edward chuckled. "Sorry," he apologized again as he pulled me back towards him, keeping his hand on the back of my head before he continued to dab the gauze on my cheek again. "And to answer your question, I'm one-hundred-and-twelve."

I raised my eyebrows, I couldn't help it.

"Me, too," Alice chimed in.

"Quite young then," I said half-jokingly.

"Yes, we are practically children in comparison to others," Edward said. "And I don't think your cheek is broken. Just bruised. It's clean now, though. It will heal nicely."

Edward backed away from me a little, giving me room to breathe.

"No permanent damage?"

He smiled crookedly. "No permanent damage."

"Thank you, _doctor_," I said almost imitating Edward's smirk. "Would that be Dr. Cullen?"

"It would," Edward answered. "Or at least one of my doctorates have Carlisle's last name."

"Why don't you practice like Carlisle?"

Edward tidied up after himself. "It's harder to fit in after a certain number of years," he told me as he opened up a new packet of gauze. "Let me quickly check the wound on your arm."  
I nodded and with my permission he carefully removed the bandage that covered up the wolf bite, which I sustained before I could even make it to Forks a few nights previous. "After internship and maybe one or two year's residency, people would start to notice that I wasn't aging…" Edward had fully revealed the wound on my arm and we both stared down at it.

I gasped.

My whole forearm was a mess. I could see the puncture marks from the wolf's teeth, but around it, the wound was badly bruised, as if it had been run over by a truck and back again. But worse, my arm was a little swollen and red around the wound.

"Ouch," I whispered.

"Oh, that _does_ look sore," Alice said, looking at my arm, her nose wrinkled. "Any harder and the mutt would have cut your arm right off."

"Nice, Alice," I said at her bluntness. "That makes me feel much better!"

Edward had gone very still. He was staring at the horrible wound with revulsion.

"It's infected," Carlisle said appearing from nowhere. "How have you been feeling? Fever? Chills? Nauseous?"

I shook my head. "None of those," I answered.

"The stuff with Zoe may have blindsided your body for a while, but either way you will need antibiotics," Carlisle said and left the room. Once he was gone, Edward sprang into life and began cleaning around the bite mark, which was beginning to seep yellow stuff.

_Gross. _

The room was silent as Edward worked on my arm. He was mad, that much I could tell. It was the sight of my arm that had pissed him off, therefore, his anger was directed at Jacob, since he was the one that had bit me.

Once Edward was done and the wound was covered back up with a fresh bandage, Edward cleared away the medical stuff. When he was half out of the door, he stopped, his back stiffened, and he turned gazing at me intensely.

"Just say it, Edward," I said getting annoyed with his silent anger.  
I knew Alice was watching, even if she was pretending to focus on the TV.

"It doesn't bother you?" Edward asked, his voice swimming with the anger that I knew was building up inside him.

"What doesn't?"

Edward's eyes flared. He pointed at my arm. "That! The wolf could have easily have ripped you to shreds, but yet you still say you are going to, "give him five minutes" of your time, as you put it earlier. What if he loses his temper and he might get your face next time?"

I swallowed my own ire. "No, it doesn't bother me," I answered. "It doesn't bother me because if I let that bother me, then I would have to let the fact that right now I am sitting in a hospital room, with my sister sleeping next to me, while two vampires are right here in our vicinity. If I let Jacob's bite bother me, then I would have to let all of Zoe's accidents bother me. I would have to let her very nature bother me!" I was close to tears then. "So, no, Edward, this," I held up my arm, "does not bother me. It was an accident. I know that it could have been worse and I know full well that it was meant for my sister, and for that I don't forgive Jacob. But I still stand by what I said earlier and I will give Jacob five minutes of my time when I am up to it."

I puffed out air, feeling better as I did so.

Edward's anger seemed to have simmered down after my speech and for once I saw understanding in his golden eyes. "Okay," he said quietly. "I think I can see your point. I don't have to like it, but you are free to do as you wish." He turned again, but like before he turned back after moving forward one step. "Oh, and by the way, your father is about thirty seconds away." Edward smirked as he left the room.

"You're such an ass," I muttered, knowing he was able to hear me. I jumped off the bed, then sat back on. My heart started hammering in my chest, sudden nerves at the thought of seeing my father again for the first time in a year. I had made peace with the fact that I wasn't going to see him on that trip to Forks, that it was better if I didn't see him.

I wasn't sure I was ready and I had nowhere to run.

"Don't you dare leave," I warned Alice as she made to get up. Alice sat back down on the chair obediently.

"It won't be as bad as you think," Alice said. "What happened between you two anyway?"

"Long story," I muttered, my eyes trained on the door. As it pushed open, my heart was almost bouncing out of my chest.

"Bella," my fathered uttered as he walked into the room with authority. He stared at me, then his eyes slipped to the sleeping child in the bed closest to him.

"Hello, Charlie," I said, my voice as even as I could make it. Charlie was staring at me wordlessly, a million emotions flickering through his face.

I was going to kill Edward for not giving me more time to prepare. In the year that I had last seen Charlie, I built up a lot of anger towards him. My mind filled with raged fueled rants that spiraled into my mind whenever I couldn't sleep. I blamed him for a lot of things, even if he didn't deserve half of what I had silently accused him of.

Seeing his face as he stared back at me in the small hospital room, every ill thought I had for him disappeared. Instead, my mind went blank. A whole year had passed since I had seen him and I had no idea what to say.

"You can sit," I offered timidly, nodding towards an empty chair by the wall. Charlie looked at the chair, contemplating for a second before taking a seat.

Baby steps. At least it was a start.

-x-x-x-

A/N: I have no idea what the next chapter will be about, but some of you are very good at guessing where this is going, so well done you guys! I have no previews to give, but I think a certain Denali member or two will pop up soon, but only briefly. I can't handle all of those characters at once…which is why I only have a few Cullen's in the same room at the same time. Haha. Anyway, I'm rambling. Let me know what you think so far!


	9. Chapter 9: Nightmare

I do not and will never own anything Twilight. Sadly.

Chapter Nine

Nightmare

I could smell the smoke before I could see the flames. Panic and fear was taking over, choking me worse than the smoke that was so thick in the air. I could barely breathe, my lungs screaming for oxygen.

"Zoe?" I cried, my head spinning as I searched for anything moving around me. "Come out! Please?"

The only thing that called back was the sound of the burning cabin in front of me. The flames licked the sky high, the heat hot on my face.

"Zoe!" I screamed. Nothing.

Moving closer to the inferno in search of my sister, I stumbled to a clumsy halt. Dread crept up on me as I stared, mesmerized by the infectious orange and yellow flames, glowing heavily in the wooded area.

Bits of debris sparked the air, ash landing at my feet.

"Zo…" I began calling again, but something behind me snapped, a twig crunched against the ground, and I whipped around.

Nothing.

I was sweating and shivering at the same time. The heat from the burning cabin gave me a feeling as if I was melting, but the fear was making me shake, my legs like Jell-O as I swayed on the spot.

A piercing cry spun my attention behind me, where the air was cleaner. A figure stood between the opening of the trees, a clearing before the small patch of land that surrounded the cabin. My eyes burning from the smoke squinted as I gazed towards the black mass that was staring in my direction.

It was too big to be Zoe, I noted, but it didn't move or make a sound. Before I could decide if the person was friend or foe, the figure crumpled to the ground, folding in a heap on the darkened grass.

I gasped before hurrying forward.

The smoke stalked me as I ran away from the cabin. It bit my ankles, swimming up towards my waist as I called out.

"Hello?" I choked and sputtered, but kept moving towards the person sprawled on the grass a head of me.

I fell over something hard and my face met the ground. Still choking, I sat up. My eyes were watering and I could barely see a thing, but I felt around, my fingers enclosing around a piece of clothing.

I knew I only had one choice. With a heave, I gripped as tightly as I could to the clothing and yanked with all my strength.

I wasn't sure how I managed it, but somehow managed to pull the weight of the body further back from clearing, away from the thick of the smoke. For now, at least.

Still coughing, I fell to my already painful knees and rolled the figure over.

What I saw made me scream and I backed away still on my hands and knees. Eyes wide in horror, I took a deep breath. "No," I whispered. "You…you died… I saw you. You're dead..."

The woman's dark brown eyes were trained on me. The wound on her neck was gaping, blood still seeping out.

"You did this to me," she uttered, her voice clear as day.

"No, I…" I stuttered, shaking my head. "I'm sorry! I tried to stop her, but she was too quick! I'm sorry!"

"'Sorry' won't heal me now, will it? Now who will pay to put food on the table for my kids? Who will read to them when they are sick? You killed me _and_ ruined their lives!" The woman glared at me with revulsion. "Monster!"

I began sobbing, apologizing at the same time, but she didn't seem to hear me. She arose to her feet and stood over me, glaring down with hatred.

"You did this to me," she repeated, venom marred her tone. "Let me show you how it feels to have your life ripped away!"

The woman cried out in pain, doubling over. I made to help her, an automatic gesture, but before I could reach her, she stood straight, staring straight at me with a calculating smile.

But then I saw her eyes.

Red.

Bloodthirsty red.

_Vampire._

I gasped, gaping at her as I struggled to my feet. Fear pounded my chest. Barely moving an inch, she was on me. Her cold fingers gripped both my arms tight, squeezing me to the point I was sure they were both going to shatter.

The pain was intense and it seemed to seer throughout my body. "I'm sorry," I cried. "Please…"

"Bella?" a deep familiar voice echoed around us. The woman froze, her grip loosening on me a little.

Something sounded behind us and she let go of me all together before turning her heel and running into the trees.

I watched her go, and, as I turned, I came face to face with my father.

"Dad," I breathed before breaking down into loud sobs. He pulled me close and held me to his chest, rubbing my back.

"Shh," he cooed. "It's okay, she's gone. She won't hurt you now. I've got you!"

"It was my fault dad," I said through tears. "I should have saved her. I should have done more. Now she is one of them!"

"It's no-one's fault, honey," Charlie said softly. "You couldn't have done anything. She was already dead before Zoe even laid eyes on her."

Charlie pulled me away from his chest, tilting my chin so I could meet his eyes. "I mean, the minute you took Zoe to that motel, everyone in the vicinity was dead. She can't be stopped!"

"Dad," I said, my insides going cold. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Come on honey, work it out," Charlie said as if I was five years old, trying to work out a simple math problem. "She is a _monster_. She won't ever stop killing. She won't even stop when she has killed you. We need to put her down before it's too late."

An echo of a memory circled my head. I had heard similar words before. The wolves. Leah had said the same thing.

I backed away from Charlie, shaking my head. "No," I yelled at him. "They can save her! They said they will teach her how to live off animals! She _isn't_ a monster!"

Charlie smiled sadly. "It's too late, Bella," he said. "She needs to die!"

Charlie stood directly in front of me, the back of his fingers stroking my cheek. "Kill her before she kills you," he urged firmly. I froze. His hand was ice cold.

I glanced up at his eyes and gasped. "No," I muttered, backing away. "No! Not you, too!"

"It was only a matter of time," Charlie said, his ruby eyes flashing with loathing. "She is poison. She will infect everyone around her. It's not too late for you, Bella. Just kill her!"

"No!" I yelled, my voice going hoarse.

"Your father is right, honey, she needs to be stopped." My heart stopped for a second and my legs almost gave way. I had longed to hear that voice just once more. I prayed to hear it when I needed her the most, but now I was frightened to look around.

"Mommy," I whispered, my hands shaking with fear and longing. I willed myself to turn, in case I had imagined it.

She looked perfect. Before she had died she looked like a corpse. It had been awful. Yet she was there. Beautiful as I had always pictured her. Her long dark hair swirling around her shoulders, her skin glowing against the flames behind me. When she smiled, I suddenly felt a warmth in my heart.

I quickly checked her eyes, but they were the exact same as Zoe's, a shade lighter than mine - hazel.

"Your father is right," she said again, her smile disappearing. "I was wrong to want to keep her. I should have listened to you when you said she was killing me, even before she was born."

I shook my head, tears spilled as I did so. "_I_ was wrong," I said, choked. "She is not like I thought she was going to be. She is an amazing child. I love her."

My mom shook her head. "No, sweetheart, I was wrong." She appear in front of me. Lifting her hand, she caressed my cheek as Charlie had, gliding her finger up and down gently. "She's already lost to a world of evil like her father. Please don't let me lose another daughter. Don't let her kill you, too. Stop her before it's too late."

"I can't," I protested. "I love her!"

"Which is why you must do it now," my mom said softly, still stroking my cheek. "Soon she will be too strong and you won't be able to."

"I can't!" I yelled before sinking to the ground. "I can't!"

"You have to," my mom said, her voice fierce now. "Look at what she did to me, Bella! Look!"

I stared up at her. She was no longer perfect. Blood soaked her from head to toe. She was pale, and with what skin that wasn't bloody, was almost translucent. Her eyes were sunken and she was sickly thin. "She killed me, Bella," my mom said. "She _deserves_ to die!"

I looked away from both of my parents, both their stares haunting me. "I can't!"

"You have to," Charlie said. I felt a firm hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off violently.

"NO!"

"Do it now, Bella!"

"NO!" My head was spinning. The smoke from the cabin was swirling around my body, rising fast, threatening to smothering before I could move away.

"Kill her, Bella," my mom shouted, but the smoke had already taken her.

"She's evil," Charlie agreed, but I couldn't see him either.

"She's not," I yelled back. The smoke had taken force of its own, descending on me as if it had a mind that could think, as if it had wanted to smother me. I was fighting for air, but my lungs and throat were on fire. I sunk lower to the ground, but it was no use, the smoke followed me there, too.

I tried to crawl away, but I barely made it a foot when my arms and legs gave in. I tried to breathe slower, shallower, but everything hurt.

"She'll kill you," a voice echoed around me, warning me even as I lay dying from the smoke monster.

"No," I argued, "She…"

"Bella?"

I was pulled away from the darkness, drawn by the sound of my name.

Gasping for breath, my eyes flung open as I was catapulted into consciousness.

"Hey, shh," someone soothed by my side. "You're okay. Just try and relax and you'll be able to breathe."

The room was bright and warm. I could make out several pairs of eyes staring at me.

Something urgent played on my mind, but the more I tried to rescue the thought from the recess of my brain, the more blurred it became. I gave up and did as I was told.

I tried to relax and take in my surroundings. My breathing got easier and my body started to become less tense.

My eyes searched for the only person that would have fully put me at ease.

She was still sound asleep, curled up in the bed next to me, with Rory clutched in her hand. I smiled, the sight slackening the twisted knot in my stomach.

"You fainted," someone told me even though I hadn't asked.

I was laying on the bed that Edward had made me sit on to clean my wounds. He was watching me on the other side of the bed, his golden eyes staring in a securitizing way.

At the end of the bed, Charlie was there, watching, his eyebrow creased with anxiety. Sitting right next to me, Carlisle was the only one not staring at me with some sort of apprehension. He was smiling a little, as if he didn't know how to frown.

"You saw Zoe get all the attention, so you thought you would join her in the next bed," Edward said with a small smile, but I could see that his humor didn't touch his eyes as it usually did when he was making fun of me. Instead, his eyes glowed with worry.

"Yeah, something like that," I replied weakly, trying to pretend I didn't notice Edward's concern. "Couldn't let my sister outshine me in this hospital. This is my territory."

Carlisle laughed. "Well, you will be fine, just like Zoe," he told me. "You just need some rest and we will change that IV once it's done, but you'll be better by morning."

"What IV?" I said, my eyes wandering to a metal pole next to me. Hanging from the pole were two bags with tubes that snaked all the way onto the bed and into the back of my hand.

"Awesome," I muttered. "I guess I'm stuck here, too."

"You were going to stay the night anyway," Alice said appearing from behind Charlie. "I mean, I assumed you would stay the night. For Zoe." She winked.

"Probably," I said in agreement. "So, I fainted, huh? I didn't even feel sick."

I didn't remember a thing. The only uneasy feeling I had was when Charlie entered the room, but that would have happened no matter what. I hated not remembering. I frowned, as I tried to grab any memory of feeling sick.

"All the worry with Zoe probably delayed you feeling any symptoms, but the infection from your wound was taking over fast once you began relaxing a bit, and when you stood up to sit by Zoe, you collapsed," Carlisle said. "Not to worry, you were only out for a minute or so. You didn't miss much."

My face fell, remembering something vivid, some sort of dread still playing on my mind. But I couldn't place it and the niggling feeling wouldn't go away.

"Does something hurt?" Edward interrupted my concentration. My brow was drawn together, still trying to grasp at whatever I was trying to recall, but I shook my head absently mindedly. "No," I said quietly. "No. I just…have a weird feeling. Like a lost dream or something. But I can't really remember."

"You should get some rest," Carlisle told me getting up from the bed. "Alice has brought up your suitcase so you can change into your own pajamas."

"Unless you would prefer a gown like Zoe's," Alice said with a grin.

"Ha ha," I muttered. "Funny."

Carlisle nodded to Edward and my father, who hadn't said one word, and they left, closing the door behind them.

Alice stayed and helped me into my own pajamas.

"I don't need Jasper's gift to sense the tension that just left the room," I said nodding to the door where the others just vacated through.

Alice glanced at it, too. "You scared them, that's all," she said. "Your father especially. One minute you were fine…the next, Edward was catching you as you fell to the ground."

I groaned. Of course it was Edward that had to catch me. "I don't remember a thing," I said as I pulled a blue hoody over my pajamas. "I didn't even feel sick. At all."

"I am like Rosalie," Alice told me as she sat at the end of Zoe's bed. She was still fast asleep, but she had been through a lot, so I didn't bother waking her. "I prefer the lab side of things, rather than dealing with patients. One time, though, while we were in Maine, I was at the ER where Carlisle was working and this driver, who had been in an accident, walked in, while his son, came through the doors bleeding out. Who do you think ended up the worst off?"

"The driver," I said quietly after a seconds thought.

Alice nodded gravely. "The son was fine and before he went into surgery to fix the damage, he was become awake and alert, which reassured his father tremendously. The father had been distraught and wouldn't even let a doctor near him until he saw that his son was okay. The second the son was taken for surgery, and the father was reassured he was going to be fine, the father collapsed on the floor."

"Were they both okay?" I asked, caught up in the sadness of the story.

"Yes," Alice said. "Eventually. The father had several operations to save his life. He had been bleeding internally and some of his organs had been crushed. He should not have been able to walk, never mind worry about his son. He should have been in severe pain. But he didn't feel a thing until he had seen for himself that his son was not in danger."

I sucked in a breath and nodded, realizing the point Alice was making. "So I was sick, but didn't realize it because of what had happened to Zoe, like Carlisle said?"

"Yes, something like that." Alice slide gracefully off the bed. "Your father wants to speak to you now that you are done fainting and seem to be over the worst of it."

I suppressed another groan and sat back up the bed. Before she could leave, my heart jolted as something crept into my mind out of nowhere. "Alice?" She turned, waiting expectantly. "The wolf bite," I began slowly, looking at my bandaged arm. "It doesn't mean I am going to turn into one of them, does it?"

A flicker of a smile appeared on Alice's face. "No, that won't happen," she assured me. "Jacob and the rest of the pack are born, not bitten and are technically shape shifters, rather than real werewolves as they claim to be. I am fairly certain you won't be big and hairy come morning."

I frowned. "If, say hypothetically, Jacob had been, as you said, bitten and not born, would I turn into a wolf, then?"

Alice's face changed, humor now gone. "There is a legend of true werewolves," she answered honestly, "that are said to be closer to the stories you see in movies, or read about in novels. Those type of wolves are dangerous, rabid animals that are a danger to all, even us." Alice's face darkened. "If they legend is true, then the Children of the Moon can turn humans and then they—"

The door swung open, almost hitting Alice, but she stepped out of the way just in time. "No more horror stories," Edward said loudly, staring at Alice with a hint of anger.

"I was just being honest," Alice said lightly, unaffected by Edward's tone. Edward continued to glower at the petite vampire, but she shrugged before breezing out of the room after smiling at me ruefully.

"You don't have to be so mean," I told Edward with a glare of my own. "I asked a question and she answered it. Besides, it's good to know of the other..." _Monsters_, the word danced on my tongue, but I couldn't finish.

Edward had sensed what I had been about to say, but he chose to ignore it. "Your father is on his way back," he told me. "Alice will be right outside if Zoe…" He glanced at her, but like me, he chose not to say it out loud. "We will all be around if anything should happen." Edward opened the door. "One last thing," he added as he peered back. "How do you like your steak?"

I raised my eyebrows, but he just waited for an answer without saying anything. "Um, well done," I said narrowing my eyes.

Edward nodded before he disappeared out of the room right just as Charlie appeared in the door way.

"Forks hasn't treated you well," Charlie observed as he sat down in the chair between both beds. He turned it a little, so his back was away from Zoe and more towards me.

"No, it hasn't," I agreed calmly.

"Nor your sister, either," Charlie said but didn't glance her way. I noted the way he hadn't said Zoe's name.

"Actually," I said, "she fell ill in Port Angeles."

"Right," Charlie said nodding, as if remembering something. "Carlisle did say something like that. Then what happened to your face? Your arm?"

I swallowed. I hadn't thought of a cover story for Charlie. I had half a mind to drop Jacob in it, telling Charlie the truth about my arm. If Charlie was so against Zoe's nature, then what would he have to say about Jacob's? A boy whom he had known all of his life, his father Charlie's best friend.

"A dog," I said finally. "We broke down just outside Forks and a stray attacked me. The Cullen's were passing by and scared the mutt away." It was close to the truth, but I could see Charlie's skepticism.

"A dog?" he said, his voice hard. I nodded. "And your face?"

"Have you met me, Charlie?" My dad wined a little at me calling him by his first name, but I couldn't bring myself to call him _dad_. He lost that privilege when he abandoned me a year ago. "I am the clumsiest person in the world, you have said so on many occasions!"

Charlie seemed to take that story in easier than my dog one. "And your sister? Carlisle wouldn't divulge that information, either."

So the Carlisle hadn't told him anything. There had been no time to get our story straight before Charlie had come to the room. It made more sense if had made something up on my own since the vampires were able to hear it and if Charlie asked afterward, they were able to go along with whatever I had told my father.

"They don't know what is wrong with her yet," I answered truthfully. "They have run a few tests, but everything has come back clear so far." Worry seeped into my voice, but I tried to shake it away.

There was a long silence. Charlie was a man of very few words, especially when it came to having a conversation with me. With the exception being when he decided to air his opinion on Zoe out loud. Then silence was never an issue.

After a few minutes or so, I began feeling tension build up in the room. I knew Charlie was chewing over something in his head and I didn't need to be Edward to know what.

"Bella," Charlie said after cleaning his throat. "What happened―"

"Don't," I said quickly cutting him off. "I don't want to talk about it. I don't think I'm ready to relive the last time I say you, or unearth everything that was said between us. Let's just leave the past where it is, okay?"

Charlie looked set to argue, but he eventually nodded. "This isn't the time or the place," he said quietly, mostly to himself.

"For what it's worth," I told him, meeting his eyes fully for the first time since he had entered the room, "I forgive you." I dropped my gaze, closing the subject. It was as much as I could give Charlie. He had hurt me in a way I wasn't sure I could fully love him as I had once had, but I didn't want him to bear the thought that I hated him. Even after all the resentment that he had spelled towards Zoe, I still couldn't find it in myself to hold that kind of anger towards him anymore.

He _was_ my father, after all.

"I didn't come here looking for forgiveness," Charlie said. "I came because I heard you were here and I was concerned."

"I know," I said. "I figured that. But I don't think we will be staying here much longer, we need to move on soon."

"What I said," Charlie said quickly. "What I did, Bella, was―"

"I said no," I said sharply. "I don't really want to talk about it. I just didn't want to leave again before telling you that I am okay now and I forgive you."

"Why do you have to leave?" There was desperation in his voice.

"We just do."

"You can stay with me for a while. I would like that. Your room is still exactly the same," Charlie went on. I shook my head sadly.

"It's not that I don't want to," I said, trying to keep my voice neutral. "It's just that…" I paused quickly choosing my words carefully. "Zoe's growth is unpredictable. She seems to have stopped growing at the rate she used to, but for all I know she might age a year in the next few weeks. And you can't sneeze in Forks without the whole town gossiping about it."

I breathed easy, taken back at how effortlessly that lie came, and how convincing it had sounded. It was half true, though. Zoe had seemed to slow her aging; her growth had been rapid since her birth until recently, but it was impossible to tell if it was going to last.

Charlie knew about Zoe's aging and I could see that he was accepting what I told him. "She has grown quite a bit since I last saw her," he commented, glancing quickly behind him at the sleeping girl. "Is she talking now?"

"She never shuts up," I said with a fond smile.

Charlie chuckled. "Just like you as a kid, then?" The smile had brightened Charlie, his eyes lightening up as he laughed softly. "She is looking more and more like you. Her mother's eyes, of course, but she is your double."

The smile lingered on his face, before fading as he stared out the window past me. "I wish you would stay in Forks a while longer. Zoe, too. I don't want to keep losing you again. I worry about you."

I felt a guilt trip coming on, but I couldn't let my emotions get in the way of what I had to do. Zoe and I couldn't stay in Forks, not until she had her cravings under control. I didn't want any more dead bodies on my conscience and it would only be ten times worse if it was a life that I knew. Then there was the wolves to still worry about. They had warned us what would happen if a body turned up in Forks or La Push.

The vampires didn't seem worried, but it didn't reassure me, or get rid of the cold feeling in my stomach every time I thought about it. Pleasing my father was just not enough to keep us in Forks.

"We really can't," I said firmly. "It has nothing to do with you, I promise. I meant what I said, I forgive you. But Zoe is in a difficult transition right now and we need to get away."

Charlie's face hardened, a familiar look right before he exploded with anger towards Zoe. "We?"

My eyes flashed. I hadn't meant to say that. I didn't want to involve the Cullen's. But Charlie looked as if he had forgotten what I had said, his attention averted by something else.

The smell of steak wafted through into the room. My stomach growled in reaction to food being near. I hadn't eaten since the morning and I had only just realized how hungry I was.

Edward stepped through, balancing steaming plates in his hand as he if had many years of practice of carrying hot dishes.

The smell was mouthwatering. "Wow," I whispered as Edward set three plates on the table at the end of my bed.

"I knew you haven't eaten since breakfast, so I conjured up something in the kitchen while you two talked," Edward said.

Charlie's eyes had lit up as he stared at the food like he had never seen anything like it before.

"What I would give for one of those right now," Charlie said practically drooling.

"Well, you get first choice," Edward said. "Help yourself. I made one for you, too."

Charlie's legs pulled him closer to the plates, as if magically drawn to it. "Are you sure?" he said politely, but he had already picked up a dish.

Edward chuckled, amused at my father's lack of self-control when it came to food. "The third is for Zoe," Edward told me. "Should we wake her?"

We both glanced at her. She had been through a lot and it seemed a shame to disturb her. While I contemplated, Zoe made her own decision, her eyes springing open.

"Well hello, sleepy head," I said gently, but my sister ignored me.

"I'm starving," she muttered, sitting up in bed. Her eyes zeroed in on the two remaining plates of food on the table.

Swiftly, Edward placed the smaller portion of food on the table at the end of Zoe's bed, rolling it up towards her. Zoe' eyes widened as he handed her a fork and knife.

She looked down at the silverware, including a steak knife, then glanced back at Edward.

"Um, I'm not allowed big knives," Zoe said staring at Edward like he had just handed her a loaded gun.

I began to get off the bed, but quicker than I could even step on the ground, Edward stopped me, a cool hand on my shoulder, rocking me back on the bed. "You have to stay in bed," he said. "Doctors orders."

"Well," I said through gritted teeth. "You need to cut up Zoe's steak."

Edward looked baffled, gaping at me for a moment. He looked as if he was going to say something sarcastic, but thought better of it. Silently he turned and cut Zoe's steak into small pieces. He gave her the fork back and she dug into her food.

"Cute," I commented with a smile.

Edward glowered at me. "Eat your food before it gets cold."

He shoved the table with the lone plate closer to me. He handed me a fork and knife. "Do you want me to cut it for you, too? I could cut it into near little squares?" His eyes were glowing with amusement.

I snatched the cutlery from his hand and expertly cut into the steak. It melted into my mouth. It was literally the best thing I had tasted in weeks. "Mitch's butchers," I said after I had swallowed.

Edward raised his eyebrow. "How did you know?"

"Everyone knows Mitch's," Charlie said. His plate was almost clean, just a few potatoes and vegetables left. "I couldn't eat another scrap," he added, as he shoved the last bit of steak into his mouth. "Where did you learn to cook like that? You give Bella a run for her money!"

"Hey," I protested. "I can cook steak perfectly fine, thank you very much!"

Charlie opted not to answer, but I know what he was thinking, so did Edward of course. He smirked.

"Not better than that," he said. "Right, Zoe?"

Zoe had been silently eating her dinner, with a look similar to Charlie's on her face. "Mm," she agreed her mouth full. "Best ever!"

"You're supposed to be on my side!" I muttered childishly.

Zoe gave me an apologetic look before finishing her food. I grumbled to myself, but I had to admit that it was the best steak I had ever had. I was so glad Edward couldn't read my mind, or I knew he would gloat that I secretly agreed.

Charlie put his empty plate back on the table beside me. "All it needs now is a nice cold one to wash it down."

"Aren't you working?" I gestured to his police uniform.

The smile faded from Charlie's face. "I almost forgot. I guess I had better get back to check in with the guys at the station." He rose to his feet abruptly, as if reality had suddenly kicked in and the dinner party was just a dream. Charlie was hesitant. He glanced at Zoe, as if he had just realized she was there.

Zoe glanced back cautiously, her eyes locked onto his, a wave of emotions flickering her face. My heart kicked started into a faster rhythm, the tension in the room bubbling.

Zoe dropped her fork with a clatter against her plate. Her face had hardened, fear set in her eyes.

Edward was on his feet, alert to the sudden change in the room.

It was Charlie that made the first move. He cleared his throat and blocked Zoe out. He looked at me, his face calming. "Don't leave without saying goodbye?"

I shook my head wordlessly. Charlie nodded stiffly. He edged closer to me, bending down to kiss the top of my forehead. "Get well soon, Bells," he whispered. "I will be back later tonight, if I can."

Charlie straightened. He nodded to Edward before striding out the room, the door closing behind him.

The room was still for a few moments, the air still hung with uneasiness.

"Zoe?" I turned to my sister.

She pushed away her table and flew onto my bed, her arms wrapping around me tightly.

"What's the matter," I asked quickly, looking at Edward over her head. I knew he was ready do something in response to what was frightening her.

"I had a nightmare," she muttered into me. "Your daddy made me remember."

I half relaxed, but I couldn't expel a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. "What was it about? You can tell me."

I rubbed her back soothingly.

"The woman I killed," Zoe said, her throat hurting with tears. "She was there. There was a fire at the cabin and she was there. But she was…She had red eyes. And your daddy was there, he had red eyes, too. And…" Zoe tensed up. "And mommy. They wanted me dead. They wanted you to kill me." Zoe cowered into me, tears staining my chest.

My heart froze before it spluttered into a sprint. The feeling of dread I had earlier flooded me, like being splashed with icy water. Zoe's words painted a picture that I had already seen. A dream that_ I_ had already had.

"Bella?" A cool touch brushed my arm. I glanced up into Edward's golden eyes. "What is wrong?"

"I had the exact same nightmare," I uttered. "The _exact _same one!"

Edward's eyes grew wide, but he quickly composed himself as he if had decided something. "Intertwined," he murmured as he swiped his cell phone from his pocket.

"_What_?"

Edward wasn't paying the slightest attention to me as he had the cell already to his ear. "Eleazar? How close are you?" Edward nodded before placing the phone back in his pocket.

"Who's Eleazar?"

Edward didn't answer, excitement swirling his eyes. "I'll be right back," he told me, leaving the room. I stared after him, perplexed and loaded with questions.

What had he meant, "Intertwined?"

* * *

_Have I explained the title of this story before? If not, you will see next chapter. Hopefully I can answer a few other questions, too. _

_I said in this chapter that Zoe has the same eyes as Renee, but on looking up Renee's appearance I realized my mistake as Renee is said to have blue eyes. I will be making a few changes to the OC of Twilight as I continue my story, so I kept it in. While I am admitting to my changes, Bella's birth date will be changed to suit my timeline (set this year, so it would make her born later than from the book). I will keep you informed of things I make differ from the book._

_Thank you to my readers and a special thanks to my faithful reviewers. To guest reviewer Jeannette: thank you very much for your kind words!_


	10. Chapter 10: Intertwined

All rights of Twilight belong to SM.

Enjoy!

Chapter Ten

Intertwined

I was furious. "You invited another vampire to a hospital?" I fumed. "As if all you guys and Zoe wasn't enough danger to the rest of the humans here!"

Edward seemed bemused by my outburst. "Bella, relax," he said. "Eleazar is a friend of ours. A vegetarian, too. He wouldn't hurt anyone."

"I don't care if he is a flipping Saint," I retorted. "I don't like the idea of all of you here, gathered under one roof, which just happens to be a hospital!"

"I have to agree with Bella, Edward," Carlisle said. They had all gathered into my room after hearing Edward had called one of their closest friends to join our little soiree. Not everyone was as worried as I had been, but then again I was the only human in the room. "However much I trust each and every person in this room, Eleazar, too, I think giving the risk of blood exposure at any given moment is too big to ignore."

"Not to mention we are in a children's ward," I added, still seething with Edward's not so bright idea.

"I'm sorry," Edward said. "I wasn't thinking. You're both right, of course. I will text Eleazar to meet us back at the house."

"I will get the discharge papers in order," Carlisle said and left the room.

"We can go home?" I asked no one in particular. Rosalie had joined us in the room before I had exploded with anger, telling me that she couldn't find a single thing wrong in Zoe's blood.

"There is no reason to stay here," she said. "And Carlisle can treat you with antibiotics at home."

At least there was a silver lining in Edward's oversight of bringing anther vampire to Forks. He was still being mysterious about the why, but he said he wanted to wait until their friend arrived to explain.

Before I knew it, I was back at the Cullen home, settled on the sofa that I had woke up on the night before after the wolf fiasco. Carlisle seemed to have brought the whole hospital with him with medical equipment strewn across their living room. Still attached to my arm was the two IV's; the pole discreetly behind the sofa.

While the others were off doing their own thing, Edward and I were watching Emmett who had challenged Zoe to a round on Mario Kart. She had spotted a Wii console, one of several different types, below the TV that hung on the wall of the large living room. Zoe squealed in delight when she spied them, begging to play something.

Emmett went through his collection of various games, but I had vetoed almost all of them due to the violence in them, except the Mario one which he unearthed at the back of the cabinet.

What had happened to her earlier seemed to be a distant memory for Zoe. She wasn't in the slightest bit of pain, she wasn't even shaken up. Despite that, I knew that I wasn't the only one keeping a close eye on her. Carlisle hadn't brought all the medical equipment because I had an infection from the wolf bite. He had brought it to treat Zoe, in case she fell ill again. Rosalie had also gathered up different medical paraphernalia from the lab that she had been working in all day, inspecting Zoe's blood samples to see if they held any clues to why she had fallen sick in the first place.

The lab stuff, Edward told me, was now in Carlisle's office and I knew he was eager to inspect Zoe's blood for himself.

I watched Zoe as she tried her best to beat Emmett, who wasn't shy about winning against a two year old. She was standing in front of the TV, craning her neck up since it was on the wall at double her height. When she lost the first round of the race, she squealed in frustration, and hit Emmett with the control when he laughed at her.

Edward shook with laughter and I couldn't help but smile. "Hey," I scolded her lightly. "Play nice!"

"Again," she demanded at Emmett.

"Okay, little girl, you're on!" Emmett, despite being a giant compared to Zoe, looked like a big kid as he grinned at her.

"Here," Edward said, setting a kitchen chair down beside Emmett. "Stand on this, Zoe, it'll help you see better." Edward held out his hand, an offer to help Zoe up. She took his hand distractedly, and as Edward yanked her off the ground, Zoe screamed like a banshee.

Without a seconds thought, I flew off the sofa, the IV in my arm ripping out as I did so. Everyone fluttered into the room, gathering around to see what had happened.

Edward looked even paler, if that had been possible. He was staring blankly at his hand, and backed away from the screaming child. He stared at Zoe, horrified, before he flew out the front door.

Zoe was clutching her head again, like before. She was bent over in pain, but when I scooped her up and held her close to my chest, she seemed to instantly calm down. She cried into me, but she no longer screamed. The room was silent except Zoe's sobs.

"What happened?" Esme asked after a moment.

Hugging Zoe as close as possible, I rubbed her back again, the way it had always soothed her. "Edward," said, my breath ragged.

"What do you mean?" Rosalie said, frowning.

"It was him," I answered, my voice sounded floaty. "He touched her arm and she screamed."

"Bella is right," Alice said. She looked torn. She didn't want to accuse her brother, but she knew it was true. "Edward had hold of her the first time this happened. He caught her when she ran out onto the road and that's when she started screaming."

"And he was helping her on the chair this time," I said. "He had hold of her just before she screamed!"

Zoe seemed to calm down after a few minutes. I contemplated on what to do. It couldn't have been a coincidence that both times Edward had hold of her, she crumpled in pain.

"But what could he have possibly done to her?" Jasper said, voicing what I knew everyone else had been thinking. No one seemed to have any answers. I didn't even want to believe it myself.

"I think I can answer that," a voice said coming from the doorway.

Everyone turned simultaneously.

Standing in the door way was a beautiful man. He was older than the younger Cullen's by a few years, maybe ages with Carlisle, but that was just how old he appeared and didn't say anything of his actual age. His dark hair was cropped just above his snowy white collar, but it was his eyes I was most interested in. Golden. Like the others, as they had pre warned me.

"Eleazar," Carlisle breathed. "It's good to see you, old friend."

Eleazar nodded, a general hello to the others in the room. His eyes were fixed on Zoe, still huddled in my arms, her legs wrapped around my waist. "Edward warned me, but I am still having trouble believing it," the man said, a hint of an accent thick in his voice. "It just seems impossible. May I see the young one?" His eyes fell on me, but I backed up a little.

"Bella is very protective of her sister," Carlisle told his friend. The other vampire nodded, but his eyes never left Zoe's back. "Maybe you could explain what you meant? What does your extraordinary gift tell you about Zoe?"

"Even from your forest I could sense a powerful gift," the new vampire said. "I found Edward and we talked briefly. I got a feel of the extra gifts in the room. I left Edward and came closer. I have never met anything like it."

"What do you mean?" Jasper asked. "We thought she was a shield."

Eleazar smiled. "No," he said shaking his head. "The shield is the one who cradles the child. The human."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

Zoe stirred, her body pulling away from me. Still clung to my hip, she turned to the new comer. "I don't have a gift?" She sounded disappointed.

Eleazar gasped, taken back at the sight of Zoe. "Even warned about her nature, it is still a lot to digest. I am glad Edward told me not to bring the girls. They would not understand as easy." The vampire moved closer, slowly so I could watch his movement. I held still, my breathing a little uneven.

Eleazar was staring at Zoe with fascination, as most people did. "Half vampire," he mused. "A heartbeat, rushing blood in her veins. Amazing."

"Isn't she just," Carlisle agreed.

Edward appeared behind Eleazar. For the first time he looked unsure of himself. He was hesitant about coming in the house, but eventually he settled himself by the piano. He met my eye, but dropped his gaze quickly.

"We were wrong," Edward told his family. "Like Eleazar said, it is Bella who possess the mental shield. Even as a human it still works for her."

I blinked again at the news, baffled at what I was hearing. "I don't understand," I said.

"I second that," Alice agreed.

"We are not all mind readers," Rosalie said, exasperated, voicing my own thoughts.

"The human's mind is a shield," Eleazar explained the part we already knew. "It protects itself from other mental gifts. The hybrid, on the other hand is something I have never seen before. Something more powerful than I could have imagined." He paused for dramatic effect. "Her gift is the ability to absorb other gifts. A temporary sponge, if you like."

I had to sit down. It was all too much. Everyone was staring between Eleazar and Zoe.

"Wow," Emmett concluded. "That is one powerful little hybrid."

"Powerful, yes," Eleazar agreed. "But she is young and is unable to control it. Which is why, when touching Edward, she succumbs in immense pain. She is absorbing his mind reading ability, but it is all too much for her to cope with."

"Can she absorb any gift?" Carlisle asked thoughtfully.

Eleazar stared at Zoe a little closer, as if getting a better read, somehow. "Most likely," he answered.

"And would it hurt as much as Edward's gift has?" I asked, finding my voice again.

"That is to be seen," Eleazar said gently. "To be able to cope with certain gifts, you have to be born with the ability withstand it. Each gift for any vampire, or human alike, is nothing more than the individual can cope with alone. Jasper's, for example, is very powerful. How many people would be able to withstand the ability to feel every emotion around them? Not many, I would imagine. But somehow, Jasper was born with the ability to feel others in a unique way that other people have trouble doing. Which is why it was heightened into a gift when he was turned."

The others nodded, seemingly understanding what their friend was explaining. I was following, but only just.

"And Edward, of course," he went on. "Many people would do anything to be able to hear the mind of others, to know what they are thinking about for their own personal gain. But if given the gift of listening to thoughts that don't belong to them, how long would be it before they wished it back? Most people would not be able to stand the voices for long. Wouldn't you agree, Edward?"

Edward was still rigid at the piano. He looked distant, drawn in by a thought that was taking over his mind. "I only just put up with them and no more," he said, blinking out of his own mind and drew back to the discussion of Zoe's gift.

Eleazar smiled sympathetically. "Then you would agree that given the child's gift, her absorption, it shocked her to get just a tiny taste of what you have to feel each and every day?"

Edward looked pained himself, not looking at anyone. Instead he stared at the piano keys. "Shocked is an understatement," he said stiffly. "I about killed her."

I winced at his words, pulling my sister closer to me.

"Edward, you didn't know what she could do," Carlisle began. "None of us would have guessed. It isn't your fault."

"It is," Edward said numbly before getting up from the bench and fleeing up the stairs.

Esme sighed, following after him, like a mother would to comfort a son.

"I guess my gift would not exactly be pleasant for Zoe, either," Jasper said. "Is there a way to―" Jasper froze mid-sentence. Suddenly, the room became tense, everyone staring at me. Jasper's eyes were wild, his body stiff as a bored.

A familiar look that Zoe got. Right before she lost control of her thirst.

"Okay, time to go," Alice announced, grabbing Jasper's hand, pulling him away. Jasper didn't budge. "Jasper!" she yelled for his attention. Emmett barged in front his view, blocking me out of his sight.

"Let's go, man," Emmett said firmly. The burly vampire shoved Jasper back and began forcing him out the still open front door. Alice ran after them, slamming the door shut firmly behind her.

Carlisle was already by my side, lifting my arm to inspect. "You're bleeding," he said quietly. "You must have pulled the needle out. I will fix it."

I stared down at my hand where the IV had once been. A tiny trickle of blood on the crook of my arm. It was barely a dot, most of it was dried, but I knew how sensitive blood was to those who lived off it. I cursed to myself silently. "I am so sorry," I whispered. "It's entirely my fault. I wasn't thinking. And there was me shouting about blood exposure back at the hospital when I spilled the blood myself. I am so sorry."

There was an array of activity in the room.

Rosalie was mopping up something on the couch. My stomach flipped when I realized that it had been from the IV. When I pulled it out of my arm, the IV kept dripping out, with nowhere to go. "Oh God!" I gasped. "Again, I am so sorry!"

"It's not your fault, Bella," Carlisle said. "It was an accident. It happens." He fixed a clean needle back into my hand before setting up another IV.

"Yes, they do," I agreed. "But I should have been more careful. I know better than to be so clumsy with things like that."

"Don't worry about it, Bella. Honestly." Carlisle covered the needle with extra tape. "Rose, maybe when you are done you could take Zoe to the guest bedroom? I'm sure she has had enough excitement for one day?" He glanced at me to make sure I was in agreement. I nodded.

I wasn't sure if Carlisle was wanting Zoe out of the room because of the blood, or if he wanted to talk with Zoe out of earshot.

"That sounds like a good idea," I said. "Zo? Do you mind if Rosalie takes you up stairs instead of me?"  
Zoe contemplated, but slipped off my knee. She gave me a kiss on the cheek and as Rosalie finished wiping the sofa, she held out her hand for the blonde vampire.

"Take your iPad, sweetheart," I called to Zoe before she could take the stairs with Rosalie in hand. "You can watch a movie before you sleep."

Zoe skipped out of Rosalie's hand and fetched her iPad on the coffee table. "Night, night," she told everyone before she and Rosalie climbed the stairs out of sight. For once, I felt assured that my sister was going to be okay.

We were finally getting answers.

"You were worried the child would attack her sister," Eleazar commented casually as he settled himself into an empty arm chair.

"Actually, Zoe doesn't seem drawn to my blood," I answered before Carlisle could speak. "It's never been exposed to her like that, but I am certain I wouldn't be here if I made her at all thirsty."

"Never?" Eleazar seemed impressed.

"I caught her attention briefly back at the motel," I said. "She was at the height of bloodlust, so I don't blame her. But she snapped out of it and her attention was caught elsewhere."

"The child feeds from humans?" Eleazar didn't seem to be judging, merely curious.

"Yes," Carlisle answered. "We are going to try and see how she likes a vegetarian diet."

"She has difficulty with control," I added, feeling relaxed enough to talk about it with a stranger. He had given me peace of mind about Zoe and I was appreciative enough to answer any questions he had about her nature. "I have dealt with it as best I could, but if Zoe is willing, then I would be more than grateful for her to at least try feeding off animals. She hates taking lives, which causes her to hate herself. I can't live with that. I want to try anything that would take her pain away."

"Carlisle was right. You are very protective of your sister," Eleazar said. "You do know that your shield spills into her mind, protecting her from any mental gifts, too?"

"We had thought it was the other way around," Carlisle said. "Of course that was when we thought Zoe was the shield."

"I've met humans with gifts before, but never have I seen a gift being shared like this," Eleazar said with a little admiration. "Most humans do not know they have anything different about them."

"Different," I chewed the word. "Well, I've always been different. I never thought I was gifted, though."

"This dream you had," Carlisle said. "You said you shared it with Zoe?"

"I guess," I said uncertain of myself. "I saw what she described. The woman - the housekeeper, was there. She was hurt, but the next minute she bent over in pain and when she looked up, her eyes were red and she tried to hurt me, but my father was there and he scared her off."

"He had red eyes, too?" Edward said, appearing at the foot of the stairs. He looked reluctant to come near me, as if he would cause me pain just like he had Zoe.

"Yes," I answered, a shiver running down my spine. "Not at first, I don't think. He urged me to…" I didn't want to say it out loud. "Get _rid _of Zoe. But I said I couldn't. Eventually I noticed his eyes and that's when my mother came." I was determined not to cry. All of a sudden I just wanted to forget the dream, as I first had when I tried to recall it.

"She wanted you to kill Zoe as well?" Carlisle asked gently.

My tone was a little unstable as I tried to keep out my emotions. "They said she had to be stopped, that she would eventually kill me if I didn't. I told them 'no' but the smoke from the burning cabin took them and eventually me."

"You shared this dream with the hybrid?" Eleazar asked after a minute of polite silence.

"Zoe," I reminded him. "And yes. It seems that way."

"Interesting," he reflected. "I wonder, whose point of view was the dream from?"

"Mine," I told him. "But I forgot to ask Zoe that. Maybe she saw it differently?"

"Perhaps," Carlisle said. "She wasn't there at all? In your dream."

"I screamed for her, but she was nowhere to be seen," I said. "Do you think there is something in the dream? That it means something that we had the exact same one?"

Eleazar looked as he was coming to some sort of conclusion, but didn't seem to want to share his thoughts just yet. Carlisle was considering something, but Edward was rolling his eyes, he had already guessed the answer.

"Intertwined," I said softly, my eyes flaring, remembering what Edward had said before he called Eleazar at the hospital.

Edward nodded.

"Intertwined?" Eleazar contemplated. "Yes. That seems like a good word. I can sense that you and your sister have an extraordinary bond…" His voice suddenly trailed off, looking away from me as something seemed to occur to him. "You know, I wouldn't be surprised if sharing a dream was the only thing they were able to share."

I could tell that the Cullen's old friend liked to delay things to give them the ultimate dramatic effect. He waited for someone to speak, but when no-one did, he sighed before explaining. "I wouldn't bet on it now, but I would be inclined to say that, after a little practice, your shield would open your mind up enough to allow Zoe in," Eleazar said thoughtfully. "Zoe isn't using her gift on you, you are letting her have it automatically, without either of you knowing. Maybe in time her gift would exchange the courtesy."

"What do you mean?"

"Your gift, Bella, blocks any mental gift, like mine," Edward explained. "It shuts them out completely. Yet, with Zoe, you share your shield with her, letting her in on the inside, on the oppose side to the wall which blocks me out. You are doing it without knowing how, as if your connection - your bond is so strong between the two of you that it allows you to protect her mind without even trying." I nodded to show that I was following his train of thought. "Eleazar thinks because you and Zoe share this intertwined connection, that, in time, when both your gifts have been developed and controlled, she would be able to share her gift with you. It would become automatic, like you extending the shield to protect her mind. You would be able to absorb other gifts, too, if that becomes the case."

"Intertwined," Carlisle said with a chuckle. "I knew you two were special when I pulled you bleeding into my car after the wolf attack, but I guess none of us foresaw just how special."

"Not even me," Alice said grinning, making me jump slightly as she appeared lightly on the arm of the sofa I had taken grace on. "I had to admit, I am a little jealous. Who wouldn't be? To get a taste of different gifts. Just wait until you become o―"

"Alice!" Edward shot her a warning. Alice cleared her throat. "Until you become used to your gift," Alice amended smoothly. "Zoe, too."

I crossed my arms against my chest. Alice was going to say something else. Something she had seen, but Edward didn't want me to know. It didn't take much brain power to figure out what, but I was unsure I wanted to let myself think about the possibility.

Had she seen my future with red eyes? Golden, perhaps?

Alice and I shared a look. I had hoped that it meant she was open to tell me what she had been about to say, away from Edward's interruptions.

"Zoe's absorption," I asked Eleazar. "Will she be able to control it? Will she be able to, say, touch Edward, for example, without screaming in pain?"

It was the only answer I had been wanting. To know if Zoe had to be cautious around people, in case they caused her pain. I didn't want her to feel scared being near people with gifts. Even Edward.

"Yes, in time," Eleazar told me. "Everyone with a gift has had to learn how to control it, to develop it. It comes easier to others, but with practice the little one will be able to touch Edward and she will not feel pain."

"We can help her, Bella," Alice said. "You have us now, so you don't need to worry about this on your own."

"I think Bella is the key to helping her," Carlisle said. "I believe your shield, Bella, may be able to help her control what she absorbs, or at least block it out if it becomes too much."

"It's possible," Edward said, setting himself back behind the piano. "Do you think it would work even though she is still human?"

"Now that she knows she is a shield, that would help her tap into it," Eleazar said. "You don't need to be vampire to control a gift. It could work."

I numbed myself out of the conversation, sinking back in the sofa.

It was becoming all too complicated for me and I was developing a headache learning all the information about gifts. It had never occurred to me that I was the shield. I was human, of course I had agreed with the Cullen's when they had suggested that Zoe was protecting both our minds from Edward.

I was having trouble processing that we were intertwined somehow. I wasn't sure I fully understood what that even meant. We shared more than a dream, as Eleazar had put it, but we also shared a connection that went further than sharing blood.

My musings were cut short when Jasper materialized back into the living room, Emmett close by his side. I came back into the here and now, my attention on the blond vampire, watching him closely.

But I reminding myself that it had been my own fault that my blood had enticed him.

"Jasper," I said. "I am so sorry. I was stupid and unthinking."

Jasper shook his head gravely. "Don't, Bella. Don't make me feel better, it won't work." He looked at Carlisle. "I've been listening and I couldn't help but wonder something."

As I noticed Rosalie and Esme join the others in the living room, I also noticed Edward go ridged at the piano, a dreadful look of fear wash over him as he listened to Jaspers thoughts.

In response, my breathing became shallow as I waited for him to explain.

"While Zoe's gift is special," Jasper said stiffly. He was standing as far away from me as he could without leaving the eye line of everyone as we clustered around the seating area. Except Edward, who remained still as a statue at the piano. "It is also unique. _Appealingly_ so."

Although it appeared to me that he hadn't said anything significant, the atmosphere had turned dark. Each and every one of the golden eyed vampires seemed to be on the same wave length, while I was still clueless.

"No," Edward said standing. "I won't let it happen."

"He has ways of finding out," Eleazar said sorrowfully. "You may not have a choice."

"Everyone has a choice," Carlisle said. "We just need to make sure that he doesn't know about them."

"The girl knowing about our world discredits in her favor as it is," Eleazar said. "If he knows, he will use that against her."

They were talking as if I had suddenly gone deaf. "Can you all speak English?" I glanced around to the room, eyes of pity staring back at me.

"You know about our world," Emmett said. "But how much do you really know about it?"

Their stares was making me nervous. I felt that something bad was coming. "Enough to have identified your nature without a second glace," I answered. "Please tell me what you are talking about. I am panicking here."

"Bella," Edward said, crouching down in front of me. He seemed no longer worried he was going to hurt me. "Tell us about every vampire you've ever come across. Tell us who Zoe's father is and we will do everything we can to help you both."

"Help us from what?" I felt my insides go cold, a reaction to the stress in the room. Edward hesitated, but slowly, he clutched my hand, light as a feather. A sudden current sparked through me at his touch, a warmth running up my arm, despite the coolness of Edward's hand. The spark ran through my entire being, heat flooding my cheeks.

As if he felt it, too, Edward quickly dropped his hand, but remained crouched by my knees.

"Bella," he breathed. His voice was urgent, his eyes creased with alarm. "Please, tell us."

My heart was racing as I stared back at Edward. I had never seen panic in Edward before and it made me feel sick to the stomach. "Why?" I said, my voice small.

"With their gifts combined," Eleazar stated, "they would be the most powerful beings that any of us will ever meet."

"Bella can shield any offensive gift, while Zoe absorbed it, using it against any threat, making them…unstoppable." Rosalie looked at me with new found respect.

"Even more so if Bella is able tap into Zoe's," Alice added. "Double the force."

"Which makes them both a threat and a target," Jasper said - what he had thought all along. "They could both be in danger."

"Danger?" The word felt like lead in my mouth.

"Aro," Carlisle said quietly, his voice grave. "He collects powerful gift."

"What he would do to get the sisters," Eleazar said bluntly. "He would have them at the heart of his collection."

"Aro," I said slowly, the name meaning more to me than the rest of the stuff that had been said. "The Voultri?" I fished the word out of a locked memory from two years ago, just before Zoe was born.

I never knew I could shock vampires, but I had with those two words.

"How do you know that, Bella?" Edward's tone was urgent, his eyes probing me.

"Zoe's father," I said, taking in their reactions. "He talked of them."

"Tells us," Edward pressed. "We have to know more about him. And the other vampires you have come across. The less people that know about you both, the safer you will be."

"Is Zoe asleep?" I asked Rosalie.

"She's sleeping soundlessly," she told me. She looked at me with differently than she had previously. I always sensed slight hostility rolling off Rosalie when she was around me, but her eyes were gentler now. "Tell us about her father," she said. "How did your story begin?"

The apprehension that had stirred the room was overwhelming. If something was scaring a vampire, then it would have been stupid not to heed what they were urging me to do, so that they could help Zoe and I. I had always worried about Zoe's life being in danger because of her nature, especially from passing vampires that I knew would sooner or later cross our paths, as they already had.

But the Cullen's weren't fearful for passing nomads, but something bigger, something more powerful.

_The Voultri. _

Zoe's father had talked about them, talked about their power, their place in the vampire world. It had never occurred to me they posed a threat to my sister. I was too worried about other vampires in our own vicinity to worry about ones thousands of miles away in Italy. I had been too naive to think different. At the time I was hardly even able to process that vampires existed.

I could tell everyone was waiting of me to speak, to give them answers to their questions.

Edward drew away from me and sat on the coffee table opposite. I knew this story was bound to come out at some point, but I hadn't be prepared to tell it so soon. To tell them about Zoe's father, I was going to have to revisit memories that I would rather gouge out my own eyes than relive.

But I knew I had to. If it meant protecting Zoe, then my own pain was nothing in comparison.

* * *

A/N

It was always my intention to have Bella and Zoe intertwined in a way that they would be able to share gifts. This chapter is kind of the kick start for the rest of the story, where they fear that the sisters will be in danger because of what Zoe can do, and as Eleazar mentioned, if Aro found out then he would want the girls from himself. Who wouldn't want a gift that can absorb other gifts?

Jasper is affected by Bella's blood more than the others, but not as extreme as in New Moon, which was why there was the slightly delay in his reaction… Okay, I'll admit it. I only realized that I had forgotten to write in his reaction to the IV being pulled out and Bella's blood way after I was almost done with the chapter and writing it in took away the attention of what the chapter was about. If I had him react straight away it would have distributed the flow – even if it meant it was out of character. Hope it was okay in the end, though.

What did you guys think? Next chapter we are going to have a few flashbacks. I know some people hate them, but I couldn't seem to tell the story without them. So forgive me if flashbacks annoy you.

Reviewers will be rewarded with a small piece of the next chapter….


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